Nationals win on medical travel subsidies

The Nationals Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes, said he was pleased to see the Government had yielded to common sense and increased the subsidy for the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme.

Dr Sykes said, “The Nationals Spokesperson for Health, Hugh Delahunty raised this matter recently in Parliament and called on the State Government to increase the reimbursement for the Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS).

“I have also raised the issue with the previous Minister for Health on behalf of constituents disadvantaged by the current low rates.

“It is pleasing to see the Government has come to the party and increased the transport subsidy to 17 cents per kilometre (from 14 cents/km) and the accommodation subsidy to $35 per night (from $30 per night).

“Unfortunately the increase is not substantial, but it will help the many rural Victorians who make claims to this program,” Dr Sykes said.

“This is an important scheme for country people who have to travel long distances for medical and specialist treatment, however the reimbursement has not moved with the times”.

VPTAS is a partial-reimbursement scheme that assists rural and remote Victorians with travel and accommodation costs when they are travelling over 100 kms for specialist and medical treatment.

“The issue of claimants being required to use their nearest specialist rather than say a Melbourne based specialist to be eligible for subsidies, is yet to be clarified.

Dr Sykes concluded, “The people of the Benalla Electorate and country Victoria are entitled to top quality health services within their community and specialist services within their region. The Nationals have lobbied for an increase in the VPTAS subsidy for over 12 months and it was timely for the State Government, with their budget surplus, to loosen the purse strings in favour of country Victorians and increase the subsidy.”