Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care - Ministry Reports - Patient Travel Assistance Programs in Ontario - Findings of a Review of the Northern Health Travel Grant Program and Cancer Care Ontario Radiation Re-Referral Policy

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Patient Travel Assistance Programs in Ontario

Findings of a Review of the Northern Health Travel Grant Program and
Cancer Care Ontario Radiation Re-Referral Policy

Appendix 1

Provincial/Territorial Patient Travel Assistance Programs

WESTERN CANADA

N/A = not applicable

Province	British Columbia	Manitoba	Yukon
Program Name	Transportation Assistance Program (TAP)	Northern Patient Transportation Program (NPTP)	Travel for Medical Treatment Program
Brief Description of Program	co-ordinates private/public transportation initiatives to provide discounts for residents travelling for non-emergency insured medical services not available locally ⁽⁴⁾	subsidizes medical transportation costs for residents requiring medical treatment, diagnostic services, or qualifying therapeutic services not available in home community	assists residents with costs of medically necessary travel to services not available locally
⁽⁴⁾ Program was introduced in response to concerns expressed by rural and northern residents that access to health care services is not equitable for them because of the greater travel expenses they must incur to obtain necessary medical services.
Distance Requirement	none	none	none
Geographic Eligibility	all residents (3,882,000)	approx. 80,000 residents who live : north of the 53^rd parallel from the Saskatchewan boundary to Lake Winnipeg and north of the 51^st parallel from Lake Winnipeg to the Ontario boundary	all residents (32,000)
Other Eligibility Requirements	be enrolled in the Medical Services Plan (MSP) have a physician's referral for non-emergency medical service not available locally	hold a valid Manitoba Health registration number have a valid medical referral for non-emergency medical service not available locally	be registered with the Yukon Health Insurance Plan be referred by physician or nurse practitioner in community have no resident physician for medically necessary care
Meals	no	no	maximum $30/day for accommodation, meals, taxis, other expenses beginning on the fourth day of travel to maximum of 15 days (claims in excess of 15 days must be approved by the Director of Insured Health Services)
Accommodation	no	no	maximum $30/day for accommodation, meals, taxis, other expenses beginning on the fourth day of travel to a maximum of 15 days (claims in excess of 15 days must be approved by the Director of Insured Health Services)
Automobile	no	35 cents/ km return (cannot surpass cost of bus fare or rail fare)	18.5 cents/km return
Travel by Plane	discounts (usually 30%) on regular economy fares on participating carriers	full return airfare	full return fare to nearest medical centre in Yukon where service is available if patient has no other means of travel (paid in advance) full fare to Edmonton, Vancouver (90% are referred to Vancouver), or Calgary if service not available in Yukon
Travel by Train	discounts (usually 50%) on regularly-scheduled trip	full return fare	full return fare
Travel by Bus	deducts cost of ferry from the ticket price for Victoria to Vancouver and Powell River to Vancouver only	full return fare	full return fare
Travel by Taxi	no	no	maximum $30/day for accommodation, meals, other expenses beginning on fourth day of travel to a maximum of 15 days (claims in excess of 15 days must be approved by the Director of Insured Health Services)
Travel by Ferry	free fare for patient and escort	N/A	N/A
Restrictions	does not apply to medical travel expenses covered by third-party insurance plan	restricts travel be to the closest centre where service available does not apply to patients with medical travel benefits from any other source	does not apply to : any service available locally or provided by a visiting specialist non-insured services (e.g., cosmetic surgery, chiropractic services) psychiatric patients patients covered under Workers' Compensation Health and Safety (workplace injuries) patients covered under federal acts (e.g., aboriginals) and Yukon acts (e.g., federal government employees, spouses and dependents)
Escort	yes, when patient >16 or physician indicates escort is necessary	yes, when patient <19 or referring physician indicates patient has physical/mental handicap that requires escort, or escort needed for interpretation covers return transportation, accommodation, meals and expenses for 1 night	yes, when patient <19 or referring physician/nurse practitioner indicates patient has physical/mental impairment that requires escort, or escort needed for interpretation same transportation and reimbursements as patient
Co-Payment	none	none (until recently, a $50 co-payment)	none
Follow-up Visits	yes, with physician referral	yes, with physician referral	yes, with physician referral
Government Annual Expenditure on Program	government does not incur any expenditures	$6,000,000 ⁽⁶⁾ est	$3,100,000 (1999)
⁽⁶⁾ Cost data for : 1998-$5,140,500; 1997-$4,140,500; 1996-$3,375,000; 1995-$2,720,000; 1994-$2,300,000.
Number of People Using the Program	50,971 (1999)	9,000 (1998/99)	1,900 (1999) est
Percentage of Eligibile Users Using the Program	1.3%	11%	5.9%
Average Cost Per Grant	N/A	$666.67	$1,631.58

Footnotes ⁽¹⁾ For patients who drive long distances for treatment there is an unofficial policy that the $500 deductible is waived. However, the patient must be staying for at least two weeks. Will cover the accommodation costs and meals. Is often used by those undergoing radiation treatment. Currently this unofficial policy is under review. ⁽²⁾ The budget for the program has been increased for 2000 due to increased demand and use of the program. ⁽³⁾ Northern Ontario comprises the districts of Algoma, Cochrane, Kenora, Parry Sound, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Sudbury, Rainy River, Timiskaming and Thunder Bay. ⁽⁴⁾ Program was introduced in response to concerns expressed by rural and northern residents that access to health care services is not equitable for them because of the greater travel expenses they must incur to obtain necessary medical services. ⁽⁵⁾ Aboriginals, those on extended health benefits, and those declared indigent receive some assistance for meals and accommodation. The territory does operate hostels in Yellowknife and Edmonton. These are run mainly for aboriginals but if there is room, non-aboriginals can stay there. ⁽⁶⁾ Cost data for : 1998-$5,140,500; 1997-$4,140,500; 1996-$3,375,000; 1995- $2,720,000; 1994-$2,300,000.



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