Changes to the Extended Medicare Safety Net Threshold

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Increase to the general Extended Medicare Safety Net threshold from 1 January 2015

The Government announced as part of the 2013-14 Budget that the general (upper) Extended Medicare Safety Net (EMSN) threshold will be increased to $2,000 on 1 January 2015.
This change only affects those on the upper threshold of the EMSN. Families that receive Family Tax Benefits (part A) and all Commonwealth Concession card holders will not be impacted by the change.
The EMSN provides an additional Medicare benefit once an annual threshold in out-of-pocket costs for out-of-hospital services has been reached. Out-of-hospital services include GP and specialist attendances, as well as many pathology and diagnostic imaging services.
This measure does not change how much people receive in benefits once they qualify for the EMSN.

The 2013 Extended Medicare Safety Net thresholds are: $610.70 for Commonwealth Concession cardholders and families who receive Family Tax Benefit (part A) and $1,221.90 for all other singles and families.

The Extended Medicare Safety Net thresholds are indexed by the Consumer Price Index on 1 January each year.

Further Information

Information on the Extended Medicare Safety Net is available in the fact sheets section of this website.

Further information is available on the Department of Human Services website or you can contact the Department of Human Services – Medicare:

Phone: 132 011 (local call rate) 24 hours 7 days a week.

Email: medicare@humanservices.gov.au