Have read this with great interest and a got bit emotional, so hope you will forgive the long post. It always astonishes me how different things are across the Channel. In The Netherlands where I am, many women don't start families until they are in their 40s which is considered absolutely fine. We pay for our health insurance same as we would our NI and I am entitled to three rounds of IVF all included in my package and it wouldn't be a problem for me to start this in my 40s if I so choose. Granted, we pay a bit extra every month for an enhanced deal (it's sort of state but private at the same time and you have to pay, I don't really understand it), but for us it is worth the extra 30 a month which covers all sorts of other things as well such as free eye and dental care!
Yes, it's a much smaller population here but I think France and Germany too have very good IVF schemes.
At the (grand) age of 34 after having met my dream man two years ago (after a divorce), we had been trying for a year and a half when I trotted down to our GP and got an immediate referral to a specialist gynecological unit and an appointment within 2 weeks. On forums I have read, I've seen people complain of waiting lists of six months 
personally I didn't think that was too bad! I know of women who traveled to Belgium to clinics as it was a) faster and b) cheaper. Not sure if there isn't some sort of reciprocal agreement either but I could be wrong.
I am sure there are expats and Dutch ladies on this forum who would say I am looking at the system a bit too much with rose-tinted spectacles, but from my experiences here it has been so much more straightforward. It's mainly that the outlook is just so totally different and it's just accepted that yes, as a woman you would like the opportunity to at least try for a family with your loved one.
When trying, I felt like a complete and total failure as a woman every time my period arrived. It was the most dejected, depressing awful feeling in the world that I couldn't give the man I loved babies. Having gone from a marriage where I couldn't ever stomach the thought of children to where I so badly wanted to provide the man I love with a family and not being able to do so broke me every month.
To some of the posts here who say it is only natural to not get pregnant if it just isn't going to happen, well my pragmatic, ruthless side would agree - that was my opinion with my ex. But now I totally understand that desire and feel a bit ashamed of my past opinion.
I nearly went through the pain of IVF (and who knows, I may still have to). I have had a friend who went through it with heartbreaking results on the first time. With my health issues, should my DH and I be denied the chance of a IVF because it would impact on my health too much? Who has the right to make that decision apart from us - we go into it eyes wide open. What IVF continues to do is offer hope. I would not want to take that away from anyone.
I am thrilled that the UK is bending a bit on this issue. I wish it would look to its neighbors to see if there are some lessons to be learnt on providing such care and save families and ladies spending 10000s.