Name of the Organization : Department of Health & Human Services, State Government of Victoria, Australia
Type of Facility : Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS)
State : Victoria
Country : Australia
Website : https://www.health.vic.gov.au/hospitals-and-health-services/rural-health/vptas-how-to-apply#lp-h-0
Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS) :
Key messages :
** The Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS) covers some costs incurred by rural Victorians when they travel more than 100 kilometres one way for specialist medical treatment.
Related : Department of Health & Human Services Registering A Private Health Facility Australia : www.statusin.org/25975.html
** To be eligible, patients must live in a designated rural area and not be undergoing clinical trials or accessing allied healthcare.
** Travel and accommodation costs can be subsidised.
** An approved medical specialist must sign the claim form.
People who wish to receive VPTAS assistance need to take the following steps :
** Check you are eligible.
** Find out what assistance is available.
** Find out who can be an approved patient escort.
** Fill in the VPTAS claim form.
** Have the VPTAS claim form completed by an approved medical specialist.
** Send the VPTAS form and required receipts to the VPTAS office.
Eligibility for VPTAS :
** The VPTAS guidelines provide details on eligibility.
In summary, to be eligible for VPTAS patients must :
** be a Victorian resident
** live in a Department of Health & Human Services designated rural health region
** be receiving specialist medical treatment from a medical practitioner registered with Medicare Australia and recognised as a specialist in a particular specialty under the Health Insurance Act 1973 (Cwlth) as per Schedule 4 of the Health Insurance Regulations 1975
** need to travel more than 100 kilometres one way or an average of 500 kilometres a week for one or more weeks (travel distances can be determined using the Google® maps Get Directions function).
People are not eligible for VPTAS if they :
** participate in clinical trials or experimental treatments that are medical research studies that aim to find a better way to manage a particular disease
** live in states or territories other than Victoria (unless they are a living organ donor to a Victorian patient)
** are away from their permanent place of residence when the treatment episode begins, such as when on holidays or while visiting friends or family either within Victoria or interstate
** are undertaking a journey to or from outside Australia for medical treatment
** are accessing allied health (for example, audiology, physiotherapy, podiatry, speech therapy)
** are accessing general practitioner (GP) services
** are eligible to claim assistance under another state or territory or from a registered benefit organisation including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
** were injured in a motor vehicle accident and are covered by the Transport Accident Commission
** were injured at work and are covered by WorkSafe
** have received or claimed by way of compensation, damages or other payment in respect to the illness or injury being treated.
Pay the first $100 each treatment year :
** People receiving VPTAS assistance pay the first $100 each treatment year for their travel and accommodation, except for primary card holders of a Pensioner Concession Card or Health Care Card.
** After the initial payment VPTAS covers all travel and accommodation costs for the remainder of the treatment year.
** A treatment year starts from the date of the first appointment with a specialist.
Travel assistance :
People who are eligible for travel support will receive :
** 20 cents per kilometre if a private car is used
** full economy-class fare reimbursements for public transport
** air travel reimbursement – only if the journey exceeds 350 kilometres one way and a commercial flight is used
** taxi travel reimbursement – only to or from the nearest public transport when there are no other transport options.
** Only the direct route to and from the person’s home address is covered.
** Any other travel is not included. Google® maps Get Directions is used to determine the total eligible travel distance.