Appendix III: Comparison of Patient Travel Assistance Schemes across Australia
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Patient Travel and Accommodation Assistance Schemes |
Commercial accommodation29 |
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| State/ Territory | Name of scheme | Minimum travel distance to be eligible | Travel – fuel subsidy/km | Accommodation assistance per night per person |
City | Rate per night | |
| NSW | IPTAAS31 | Minimum 100 km each way or cumulative distance of 200 km per week |
19 cents | $43 for single and $60 for double commercial and for private- $140 / week capped |
Sydney | $80-$100 | |
| QLD | PTAS32 | 50 km one way | 15 cents | $30 per night- commercial, $10 per person for private |
Brisbane | $70-$100 | |
| VIC | VPTAS33 | > 100 kilometres one way or on average 500 kilometres / week for a minimum of five consecutive weeks |
17 cents | $35 plus GST per night per person | Melbourne | $70-$100 | |
| SA | PTAS34 | 100 km each way | 16 cents per km for private car, contribution of $30 / trip for public transport, air travel- pre approved |
$30 per night +GST for commercial accommodation, escort has to pay for first night, then eligible for rest of the days |
Adelaide | $90-$100 | |
| WA | PTAS35 | 70-100 km | 16 cents | $20 per night for private accommodation ($40 if travelling with an escort) and $60 per night for patient or $75 per night for patient travelling with an escort for commercial accommodation |
Perth | $80-$100 | |
| TAS | PTAS36 | 50 km one way | 19 cents per km, cheapest economy fair for travel |
$46 per person – commercial accommodation |
Hobart | $70-$99 | |
| NT | PTAS37 | 200 km | 15 cents /km, $40 per return trip for ground travel if interstate |
$10 per night for private accommodation and $35 per night for patient /escort per night – commercial accommodation |
Darwin | $75-$100 | |
| ACT | IPTAS38 | Interstate travel for treatment | Rebate to the amount specified for each city and mode of travel please see list below |
$36.90 per night each patient and/or escort (commercial). $11.28 per night each patient and/or escort (private accommodation). |
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| ACT Travel rebate | Rebate up to | ||||||
| Private car | Sydney $101.48 | ||||||
| Melbourne $225.50 | |||||||
| Adelaide $420.25 | |||||||
| Brisbane $462.28 | |||||||
| Coach | Sydney $75.85 | ||||||
| Melbourne $135.30 | |||||||
| Adelaide $244.98 | |||||||
| Brisbane $324.93 | |||||||
| Rail | Sydney $103.53 | ||||||
| Melbourne $194.75 | |||||||
| Adelaide $217.30 | |||||||
| Brisbane $217.30 | |||||||
| Notes | |||||||
| PATS are a contribution scheme, not a fully supported program. For example, SA has contribution of $30 per trip as that is the cost of travel for patients not eligible for PATS, those living close to treatment facilities, NSW also has a co-contribution arrangement for non-pensioners and non-healthcare card holders |
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| Average duration of treatment for breast cancer is six weeks and for prostate cancer is 6-8 weeks | |||||||
| If patients choose to have treatment and stay in commercial facility in Sydney, close to RPAH for 6 weeks, the average cost to patient and escorts would be $1500 after subsidy, when the cost of meals and other associated costs of living away is factored in, the out of pocket expenses would be even higher unless there is an assisted accommodation within the area at a subsidy rate. | |||||||
| For a person in low income earning category, raising funds for treatment and accommodation would be harder unless there are agencies other than commercial lenders to offer assistance or a government scheme of financial assistance in advance which the patient can pay back over a period of time |
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| Patients have to access treatment in the nearest facility- the waiting period may be longer in the nearest facility. Nearest facility is not always in a capital city, it could be a regional centre. | |||||||
| The rates above are the cheap hotel accommodation within 15 km of city centre, with disabled access | |||||||