Medicare safety net

[Bellaleggos]

I'm $400 short of my $1100 medicare safety net threshold. I'm probably going to end up paying a $2000 obstetrician fee before the end of the year. Do I keep it back until 2012 before I submit it or should I submit it before the end of the year? Will it make any difference to how much I get back? I don't really understand the threshold thingy but obviously I want to get as much back as I can from the $2000. Can anyone help shed some light on this please?

[mrsdj1234]

You'll want to get it for this year, as the safety net rolls over every calendar year.

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[Whitman]

I'm sorry to say but if it's for the pregnancy management fee, you get a capped amount back of $400 or maybe a little bit more :(

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[BabyG4]

I'm pretty sure the safety net works from the date you paid/app so holding it back until next year would make no difference.. Could you perhaps ask not to pay it until the first week of Jan?? That way you'd hit your safety net straight away


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[insanity]

Yeah it resets 1st of January every year. Even if you held it off until after then to submit it, it wouldn't come off next years as it goes in to the year it was dated

[CDNinOZ]

Agreed. The safety net works from when the invoice was issued and you pay it. It works on a calendar year. It doesn't roll over unfortunately (I wish it did). Also the OB management fee refund is not much. I think I got back $450 and I was at my safety net due to IVF. All your other bills will be reduced though!

[Bellaleggos]

Thanks all for your replies.

Bum! So basically I need to try and get them to issue it to me next year so that I reach my threshold straight away, and it wouldn't make any difference as the management fee is capped? Is that right? My next appointment is the 28th December so I may change it to the week after then that will solve the problem of an issue date.

[Jess1889]

Yep that's exactly right. I would save it for.next year so it puts you over the safety net for the whole year but it will have to be issued on or after Jan 1st.

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[RmumR]

yep try and get it billed to you next year and it might help you get over the threshold earlier next year

[baibee]

I was in a similar situation last year. We spoke to our ob & he was happy for us to pay the fee 3 weeks late so we could pay it in the first week of January. We reached the safety net with that payment and still had the rest of the year to go. Maybe your ob would be willing to do the same for you?

[Pesca77]

Thanks all for your replies.

Bum! So basically I need to try and get them to issue it to me next year so that I reach my threshold straight away, and it wouldn't make any difference as the management fee is capped? Is that right? My next appointment is the 28th December so I may change it to the week after then that will solve the problem of an issue date.

Yes that's correct - timing will not make a diff on the amount you get back for the Ob fee (capped). Remember you can claim this at tax time though, so whether you submit/pay just before or after Xmas doesn't matter for this part.

The benefit of waiting until 1st Jan though is reaching your safety net for 2012 quicker for other medical costs you incur next year. So def worth delaying your appointment by a week.

[doglover]

With my first pregnancy I had to pay it in dec which meant I got no benefit from it. I asked them to do it in jan but they said it is illegal to do so and if medicar check they are in big trouble as it must be billed exactly on your 20 weeks. You can always try though.

[Chocolate All Gone Now]

With my first pregnancy I had to pay it in dec which meant I got no benefit from it. I asked them to do it in jan but they said it is illegal to do so and if medicar check they are in big trouble as it must be billed exactly on your 20 weeks. You can always try though.

Really? My OB allows payment from 20weeks to 28weeks...

[doglover]

Really? My OB allows payment from 20weeks to 28weeks...Yep. I confirmed with Medicare. It is officially a 20 week fee and needs to be billed accordingly. My ob did that range as well but the bill was dated 20 weeks and you couldn't take it to Medicare till you paid in full.

[Chocolate All Gone Now]

Yep. I confirmed with Medicare. It is officially a 20 week fee and needs to be billed accordingly. My ob did that range as well but the bill was dated 20 weeks and you couldn't take it to Medicare till you paid in full.

Hmm...

[*Cj*]

With my first pregnancy I had to pay it in dec which meant I got no benefit from it. I asked them to do it in jan but they said it is illegal to do so and if medicar check they are in big trouble as it must be billed exactly on your 20 weeks. You can always try though.


I think you will find there has been a misunderstanding of the rules. It doesn't have to be billed right on 20 weeks. It can only be billed once a pregnancy has progressed beyond 20 weeks.

[Chocolate All Gone Now]

I think you will find there has been a misunderstanding of the rules. It doesn't have to be billed right on 20 weeks. It can only be billed once a pregnancy has progressed beyond 20 weeks.

That's what I was thinking....

I know I was billed at 22 weeks... The full amount... As I wanted to pay in the new year

[Bellaleggos]

Hi all. I've changed my ob appointment to january now so should reach that safety net straight away. Thanks for all your replies.