Medicare Safety Net and Family Tax Benefit (FTB) validation with Medicare 101-06110000

The Medicare Safety Net is designed to protect Australians from paying major medical costs outside of the hospital system. It introduces a lower cost threshold for customers entitled to concessions administered by the Department of Social Services (DSS) and/or who are receiving Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A or who have a Regular Care Child in their care.

All families and couples need to register for the Medicare Safety Net, even if all family members are listed on one Medicare card. The following important points should be noted:

• each family member needs to be identified so their medical costs can be counted toward the family's Medicare Safety Net
• the family only needs to be registered once
• registering is free
• individuals are automatically registered, but should ensure their contact details are updated with Medicare
• individuals, families and couples are all eligible for the same threshold amounts, therefore if families or couples are registered, all their medical costs will be combined and these thresholds can be reached sooner

Centrelink's role is to provide Medicare with confirmation of customers who are paid an amount of FTB Part A or who have actual care of a Regular Care Child. Identity information is initially sent to Medicare to assist them in matching Centrelink/Medicare records. Where Medicare Australia is unsuccessful in matching the customer, Medicare will notify Centrelink and Centrelink will attempt to collect a Medicare card number from that customer.

The FTB Part A and Regular Care Child information will allow Medicare to determine those customers eligible for the lower threshold of the Medicare Safety Net.

Entitlement to the Medicare Safety Net lower threshold provides coverage for either the current calendar year or the following calendar year. The difference between this coverage depends on whether the customer has received FTB Part A as instalments, or as a past period payment or as a lump sum for a previous financial year through Centrelink.

The responsibility for the determination and administration of a customer's Medicare Safety Net entitlement start and end dates rests with Medicare. Customers with relevant concerns should be advised to contact Medicare, see Resources for a link.

Rent Assistance (RA) only payments made under More Choices for Families (MCFF) do not qualify as an FTB Part A payment for Medicare Safety Net purposes.

An individual's Medicare number can also be used for establishing a link with the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).