If your doctor has recommended an iron infusion, one of the first practical questions is what it will cost. The honest answer is that it depends on two separate things: the medicine itself, and the fee for administering it. Understanding the split makes every quote easier to compare.
Part one: the iron itself
Intravenous iron is a prescription medicine dispensed by a pharmacy. For many patients who meet the clinical criteria, the common products are subsidised on the PBS, which brings the medicine cost down to the standard PBS co-payment. On a private prescription, or where the criteria are not met, the medicine costs more; your pharmacist can tell you the exact figure for your script before you commit.
Part two: the administration fee
Someone has to place the cannula, run the infusion safely and monitor you, and that clinical service is charged separately from the medicine. This is where settings differ most:
- Public hospital infusion units may administer at no cost to you, but access usually depends on referral criteria and waiting lists.
- GP clinics vary widely. Some offer infusions with a Medicare rebate and a gap; others charge a set private fee. Not all GP practices offer infusions at all.
- Private infusion clinics charge a set administration fee, typically somewhere in the low hundreds of dollars, in exchange for shorter waits and a dedicated setting.
What Fjör charges
Our administration fee is $219 as an introductory fee for new patients. That covers the nursing assessment, cannulation, the infusion itself, observation afterwards, written aftercare guidance and a summary sent to your referring doctor. Your iron is dispensed separately by your pharmacy with your prescription, so the medicine side of the cost is the same for you wherever you have the infusion done.
Questions to ask wherever you book
- Is observation time after the infusion included?
- Who administers it, and who is on hand if I react?
- Will a summary go back to my GP or specialist?
- Is the quoted fee the whole fee, or are there extras?
Iron deficiency should always be investigated before it is treated, so the starting point is a conversation with your GP. If an infusion is prescribed, here is how iron infusions work at Fjör, and you can request an appointment online.