Medicare safety net

**Bellaleggos** · 24-11-2011 16:50

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** · 24-11-2011 16:53

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

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**Whitman** · 24-11-2011 16:53

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** · 24-11-2011 16:53

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** · 24-11-2011 16:56

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** · 24-11-2011 16:59

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** · 24-11-2011 17:07

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** · 24-11-2011 17:24

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** · 24-11-2011 19:03

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

**baibee** · 24-11-2011 20:07

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?