CCR to the provider, but not on the account

[Astrid]

I have opted for the CCR to go direct to the provider. Today I got the projected statement and no CCR has been deducted. I pointed it out the Team Leader and she went on about how we have to pay it all first, the they get reimbursed etc. I pointed out to her that it was not fair, how was that reducing my fears if I pay the full amount and they get the CCR, I may as well got it paid back to me fortnightly. She was completely unaware that amount to the provider was not the full 50%.

Now I am confused, I assumed by going direct to the provider it would reduce the fees I would have to pay. I have found on the Family assist website the following, which I think confirms it:

How will the Child Care Rebate reduce my child care fees?
If you choose the “Direct to Service” CCR payment option, your out of pocket expenses are offset immediately, as the service processes the attendance. This happens at the same time as the service offsets your Child Care Benefit. Essentially, your child care fees will be reduced immediately and you will have a lower fee to pay.

So what is it meant to be? I budgeted this month for the reduced fees, if I had known that I had to pay the full amount, I would have changed a few things this month.

I am tempted to pay my fees less 85% of the CCR and see what happens.

[briggsy's girl]

the changeover only happened today - you may find there is a delay in child care centres applying this as they won't see this through the system for another week when they put in this weeks usage statements
from conversations i have had with customers who have discussed it at length, because they have to pay in advance, the first week or two of they year they will charge full fees, and they will then work it out to reduce fees later as they will know that people can not change that option at all (so essentially if you pay your out of pockets now, they have said they'll reduce the fees that you pay later to counter this)

this is only what we have heard - we have no way of knowing how this is to be implemented - but because nothing was set in stone until today, there was no way CC's could reduce fees already in case the option was changed at the last minute.

perhaps ask to talk to the accounts person to work out what your particular CC will be doing as i'm not sure the room team leader would be that involved in the billing side of things (the fact she was clueless as to the amount is a bit of a worry)

[Floweryfields]

the changeover only happened today - you may find there is a delay in child care centres applying this as they won't see this through the system for another week when they put in this weeks usage statements
from conversations i have had with customers who have discussed it at length, because they have to pay in advance, the first week or two of they year they will charge full fees, and they will then work it out to reduce fees later as they will know that people can not change that option at all (so essentially if you pay your out of pockets now, they have said they'll reduce the fees that you pay later to counter this)

this is only what we have heard - we have no way of knowing how this is to be implemented - but because nothing was set in stone until today, there was no way CC's could reduce fees already in case the option was changed at the last minute.

perhaps ask to talk to the accounts person to work out what your particular CC will be doing as i'm not sure the room team leader would be that involved in the billing side of things (the fact she was clueless as to the amount is a bit of a worry)

THE CCMS (childcare management system) has been down all day - and most of Friday. I personally could not even submit my usage last week or today - so centres will not have any updates from today in their system if they've all been experiencing the same thing (which I imagine they are as they had a phone message saying the system was down on their help line all day).
I would also assume most software - our did anyway, requires an update to enable the CCR reduction to fees - perhaps your centre has not done that yet? My statements now have CCB and CCR columns. Obviously the CCR column isn't showing anything yet - as BG said, it may not reflect anything until next week after the centre has submitted and retrieved it's first week under the CCR changes.

[Astrid]

Cool - wondered if that had something to do with system updates etc - thanks

The Team leader/Centre manager produces the statements. Unfortunately she spends half her time off studying (great for her, but not for the centre), so I don't think she is keeping as up to date with things as she should be. It is part of three though, so I would have assumed the centre co-ordinator would have ensured that each centre would know what is going on. I doubt that I will be the only parent to question. I only noticed it as I need my statements projected for the month, not for the fortnight.

Oh well. Now the choice: pay less the CCR or the full amount?

[Floweryfields]

Yeah, I would think that she should be up to date with how things work!

[Pandora]

That sounds right to me, with our CCB it takes a while for the CL info to catch up, usually about a fortnight (which is our payment cycle)
they sually estimate what CL will give them for CCB, and we pay the rest, then the next fortnight when it reconciles they know exactly how much it is.

At least thats what they tell me?

[Floweryfields]

Yes Pandora you can choose to submit weekly or fortnightly so that sounds right.