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The
Northern Health Travel Grant (NHTG) Program helps to defray some
of the travel costs for residents of Northern Ontario who must
travel long distances to receive medically necessary physician
specialist services unavailable in their local community.
On
October 11, 2001, the ministry announced major enhancements to the
NHTG program. The
enhancements will be in effect on November 1, 2001, and will
significantly increase reimbursements to northern residents for
travel expenses incurred in order to access necessary medical
specialist services.
Three
changes will be effective November 1, 2001:
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Travel
grants to the nearest medical specialist or designated health
facility that is capable of providing the service will be
based on the two-way road distance.
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The
amount of the grant will be based on payment of 34.25 cents per kilometre based on the two-way road distance between the area where the insured person lives and the location of the nearest medical specialist or health facility that can provide the service.
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A
deductible of 100 kilometres on the trip will be applied.
The
enhanced NHTG will help ensure northerners can access the quality
health care they deserve.
Please note that to be eligible for a grant, the actual one-way distance between the area in which the insured person lives in Northern Ontario and the area where the nearest specialist/facility that can provide the service is located in Ontario or Manitoba must be
at least 100 kilometre.
Also note that the completion of all letters, documents and records pertaining to the Northern Health Travel Grant is considered to be a common element of the insured services, and is not billable to the patient. Please refer to the General Preamble in the Schedule of Benefits for Physician Services, Section B-1, Common Elements, #8, on Page iv. |
