Travel and accommodation assistance during cancer treatment

Patient Travel Subsid Scheme (PTSS)

The PTSS can assist patients that live in rural remote areas and is available to patients who are required to travel more than 50km to specialist medical services that are not available locally. Travel subsidies for commercial travel (air, bus or rail) are fully reimbursed at the lowest discount rate. The subsidy for travel in a private vehicle is 30 cents per km, and private stay accommodation is reimbursed at $10 per person, per night.

Please review the website for conditions and to check if you are eligible for this scheme.

Cancer Council QLD

CCQLD have 6 accommodation lodges located across Queensland in:

• Brisbane (south and northside)
• Cairns
• Rockhampton
• Toowoomba
• Townsville

Accommodation available to support patients and families during their treatment

For more information, please visit their website.

Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS)

The PATS is a WA Government initiated scheme funded by Royalties for Regions. This scheme provides subsidy towards the cost of travel and accommodation for patients that travel more than 100km from their nearest eligible medical specialist service (including a telehealth service). PATS also subsidise flights for patients living more than 16 hours’ drive from the nearest treatment centre.

Please review the website for conditions and to check if you are eligible for this scheme

Cancer Council WA

Cancer Council WA also have 2 accommodation lodges located in Perth, Crawford and the Milroy Lodge.

For more information, please visit their website.

Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS)

The PATS is a scheme that provides subsidy towards travel, escort and accommodation costs when rural and remote South Australians travel over 100 km each way to see a specialist.

PATS offers a fuel subsidy of 16 cents per km for car travel, a payment towards the cost of public transport where this is approved, or a payment towards the cost of air travel if this is deemed essential by your local doctor. Conditions apply for Air Travel.

SA Health provide a range of subsidies to assist different patient needs regarding travel. Patients are entitled to claim from one scheme only. If they meet all the PATS criteria, they will be directed to apply to PATS.

Please review the website for conditions and to check if you are eligible for this scheme.

Cancer Council SA

Cancer Council SA has two accommodation lodes in Adelaide for country people affected by cancer and their carers. Two lodges are Flinders and Greenhill Lodge.

For more information, please visit their website.

Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS)

PATS is a subsidy program funded by the Northern Territory Government to provide financial assistance to Territorians who are referred by an approved practitioner to the nearest approved specialist medical service. To qualify for the subsidy, travel is to be more than 200 km one way to an approved specialist medical service, or more than 400 km cumulatively in one week for renal or oncology treatment.

For assistance please contact your local PATS office:

Royal Darwin Hospital:   8922 8135

Katherine Hospital:  8973 9206

Gove District Hospital: 8987 0201

Alice Springs Hospital:  8951 7846

Tennant Creek Hospital:  8962 4262

Please review the website for conditions and to check if you are eligible for this scheme.

Interstate Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (IPTAS)

IPTAS provides assistance to permanent residents of the ACT towards travel accommodation expenses incurred when referred interstate for medical treatment not available in the ACT. There are many exclusions for ACT

Please review the website for conditions and to check if you are eligible for this scheme.

Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (PTAS)

Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (PTAS) provides financial help with travel and/or accommodation costs to Tasmanian residents who need to travel:

• more than 50 km (one way) to the nearest oncology or dialysis treatment centre
• more than 75 km (one way) to the nearest appropriate specialist medical service
• more than 75 km (one way) to access lymphoedema treatment

from their permanent residence. Benefits are only paid for interstate referrals when the treatment is unavailable in Tasmania.

Please review the website for conditions and to check if you are eligible for this scheme

Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS)

VPTAS subsidises costs incurred by rural Victorians who travel more than 100km one way or an average of 500 km a week for one or more weeks to receive approved medical specialist services or a specialist medical treatment. Patients have to pay the first $100 each treatment year. People who are eligible for travel will receive 20 cents per km if a private car has been used. A full reimbursement will be given at economy rate for public transport.

Please review the website for conditions and to check if you are eligible for this scheme

Travellers Aid

Travellers Aid is a not for profit organisation that provides the following services for people that require assistance in the Melbourne CBD

Travellers Aid Australia operates from our three service sites at Southern Cross and Flinders Street Stations in Melbourne and Seymour Railway Station, in regional Victoria.

Services provided include:

• Buggy & Guidance Service
• Pick-up service from the bus, taxi or train platform and be taken to taxi or prearranged transport at the Southern Cross Station or can also be arranged at Flinders Street Station.

The Buggy Service is utilised by the vision impaired or people having difficulty with their mobility.

Medical Companion Service

If you are not comfortable with where to go in Melbourne or do not like travelling on transport alone, a medical companion can be booked. A volunteer will accompany you from the station to your medical appointment and bring you back to the station for your return transport home.

For more information, please visit their website.

LINK Community Transport Inc

LINK Community Transport Inc is a not for profit organisation providing transport solutions for people and communities in Melbourne, Victoria.

The service provides door to door transport for people in the community for a variety of reason from personal, social, recreational, educational and health needs.

This is a great service that keeps people in touch with community and delivers them to medical appointments with no stress.

LINK currently operates in 108 suburbs in the Northern and Western suburbs of Metropolitan Melbourne. Most people are eligible for a subsidy so the cost personalised door to door service can be as little as $4.

LINK also services private customers who aren’t eligible for a subsidy at a competitive rate equivalent to a half price taxi.

For further information please contact the office on 1300 54 65 28 or review the website.