QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 NHTG INFORMATION TO ACCOMPANY BULLETIN # 1008

Q1.      What changes with the Northern Health Travel Grant (NHTG) program?

A.        The NHTG program is designed to help defray part of the travel costs (i.e. travel,

meals, accommodation) of northern Ontario residents who must travel at least

100 km to receive medically necessary insured specialized care not available in

their local area.  The ministry will enhance the Northern Health Travel Grant to

provide a grant based on the total distance a patient must travel, minus a 100 km

deductible.  The rate increases to 34.25¢/km.

Q2.      How does this change the current program?

A.        The old program offered a rate of 30.5¢/km based on one-way travel. The new

program offers a rate of 34.25¢/km based on two-way travel with a 100 km

deductible -- a higher reimbursement rate.

Q3.      When are these changes effective?

A.        These changes will take effect on November 1, 2001.

Q4.      Who is eligible for the NHTG program with the new changes?

A.        The NHTG program is designed to help defray part of the travel costs (i.e., travel,

meals, accommodation) of northern Ontario residents who must travel at least

100 km to receive medically necessary insured specialized care not available in

their local area. For purposes of the NHTG, a northern resident is a person who

lives in Northern Ontario which is defined as the territorial Districts of Algoma,

Cochrane, Kenora, Manitoulin, Muskoka, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Rainy River,

Sudbury, Thunder Bay and Timiskaming.

Q5.      How is the distance calculated for the two-way travel?

A.        The distance is calculated by taking the two-way distance between the patient's

area of residence and the location of the nearest medical specialist or health

facility and then subtracting 100 km. If you travel 200 km one-way for 

medical services, your grant would be based on 200 km x 2 = 400 km, minus 100

km deductible = 300 km. 

Q6.      How is the distance calculated on the one-way travel?

A.              If a patient travels one-way by ambulance and travels back 200 km by

commercial or personal vehicle, the one-way grant would be based on 200 km,

minus 100 km deductible = 100 km.