Medicare Safety Nets
How it works
Through the Medicare Safety Nets, Medicare can give you more money back for things like:
- seeing a doctor or specialist
- some tests and scans, like blood tests, ultrasounds and CT scans.
Medicare calculates the Safety Nets each calendar year, from 1 January to 31 December.
When you spend a certain amount in gap and out of pocket costs for medical services, you’ll reach the threshold. Then Medicare will pay you a higher Medicare benefit. Find out what the thresholds are on the Services Australia website.
Who can get it
If you’re enrolled in Medicare , you’re eligible for Medicare Safety Nets.
How to manage your Medicare Safety Net
Check your threshold
You can check what your out of pocket costs are for medical services in your Medicare online account through myGov. This will show how close you are to reaching the threshold.
If your Medicare online account is linked to myGov sign in now to check how close you are to the threshold.
If you don’t have a myGov account, find out how to create one and link to Medicare.
Manage your safety net as a family
If you’re part of a family or couple, you can register as a family to combine your costs. This means you may reach the threshold sooner.
Find out about how to register your family on the Services Australia website.
Medicare keeps a tally of your out of pocket costs. They’ll tell you in your myGov Inbox or by post when you’re close to reaching the threshold. Then you’ll need to confirm your family members to get the higher Medicare benefit. You can do this in your Medicare online account through myGov.
Find out more about how to manage your Medicare Safety Net on the Services Australia website.
Manage your safety net as an individual
If you’re an individual with no dependants, Medicare will register you for Medicare Safety Nets.
They’ll automatically pay you higher benefits when you reach the threshold.
Find out more about how to manage your Medicare Safety Net on the Services Australia website.
How to get help in your language
Find information about Medicare in your language on the Services Australia website.