Hi There,
I have just researched this myself whilst crunching some figures...

Ok, here are my findings: (sorry if TMI, as you probably already know most of this)

Medicare Safety net (SN) is available to all Medicare card holders - Singles are automatically registered for SN, couples and families need to register.

The SN year is per calendar year Jan - Dec. So it does put those who fall pregnany half way through the year at a huge disadvantage! :frown:

Once you reach $1000.00 out of pocket expenses, or Gap fees and after your medicare rebate (which is the scheduled fee Medicare says your doctor should be charging) you are entitled to a 80% discount on all futher services providing they are out of hospital.

EG. My Ob is going to charge me $3112.00 in Jan, so minus $1000.00 (safety net), minus $97.00 medicare rebate = $2015.00 out of pocket, Safety Net rebate is 80% of this amount. Any future trips to the OB in 2007 which usualy cost $80.00 are then going to cost me $16.00. SN can be used for specialists, sonographers, blood test etc, anything done out of hospital.

So to sum up - you have to loose $1000.00 out of pocket before you can get the discount of 80%.

AND now for the Tax rebate. You can claim 20% of all out of pocket expenses in your tax return once you are $1500.00 out of pocket- these expenses do not include monies you have recived in rebates from Medicare, including SN, they are the difference between the 80% rebate and the 100% cost.

The ATO website has more info on this.

Sorry if ive confussed anyone, please ask and i will try to clarify anything, im not the best at explaining sometimes!