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National Travel Assistance Scheme
Transport to Medical Appointments and Treatments
Your local District Health Board is responsible for funding travel assistance to enable you to access specialist health and disability support services.
What does travel assistance mean for me?
When your publicly funded specialist (not a GP) has referred you onto another publicly funded specialist you may be eligible to receive travel assistance under this scheme.
If eligible, you will receive assistance towards your travel and possibly your accommodation costs. Your specialist will need to approve accommodation and specialised transport needs, this includes taxi, mobility taxi, or air travel.
Travel by private vehicle or public transport is assessed on registration.
When can I claim for assistance towards travelling costs?
If you are referred for treatment by your publicly funded health or disability specialist (not a GP) to another publicly funded specialist and can answer ‘yes’ to one or more of the following questions, you maybe eligible to claim assistance after 1 January 2006.
1. Do you travel more than:
80 km one way per visit (for a child)?
350 km one way per visit (for an adult)?
2. Do you visit a specialist 22 or more times in two months?
3. Do you visit a specialist six or more times in six months?
25 km one way per visit (for a child)?
50 km one way per visit (for an adult)?
4. Are you a Community Services Card holder and travel more than:
25 km one way per visit (for a child)?
80 km one way per visit (for an adult)?
Please note that:
A child is anyone younger than 18 years of age at the time of treatment
If you receive, or are eligible for travel assistance from another provider such as ACC, Work and Income, Ministry of Transport, or Ministry of Education, you may not be eligible for assistance under the National Travel Assistance Scheme.
Mileage is calculated from the client's residential address to the attending facility/hospital treating department via the shortest practical route.
When claiming for either;
- 22 or more visits to a specialist in two months
OR
- six or more visits to a specialist in six months, and travel more than 25km one way (Child), 50km one way (Adult), per visit. Please either wait until the minimum number of visits required have been attended before submitting your first claim.
Can I claim for accommodation costs?
If you are eligible and accommodation is approved by your specialist, you will be able to claim for some assistance for example, payment towards costs of a motel room, or an allowance when staying with friends and family.
Accommodation is not usually approved for travel less than 100 km one way. If accommodation is required when travelling under 100km one way an approval letter from the specialist must be supplied.
You can either ask your hospital travel coordinator, health or disability specialist or hospital social worker about preferred accommodation providers, or make your own accommodation arrangements.
Payment rates
Current as at 1 January 2006
Mileage - 20c per kilometre
Accommodation
Auckland - up to $100 per night
Wellington - up to $80 per night
Elsewhere - up to $75 per night
Private Accommodation - up to $25 per night
Please refer to NTA Policy for number of days available for accommodation for client and/or support people.
Can I claim for the costs of a support person?
Under certain circumstances you may also be eligible for assistance towards a support person's costs, for example, if your health or disability specialist recommends a support person to assist you with clinical decision-making, or to provide physical support.
When a child is eligible for travel and accommodation assistance, they will always be eligible for assistance towards a support person's costs.
Funding for support person accommodation greater than 16 consecutive nights requires an approval letter from the specialist.
How do I claim for travel assistance?
Your hospital travel coordinator, health or disability specialist or social worker will need to help you register for travel assistance. They will need to send the completed registration form to the Ministry of Health.
The Ministry of Health will assess and approve your registration for eligibility.
A confirmation letter, along with blank claim forms will be sent to your usual mailing address.
Complete your claim form in full. Make sure to have your claim form signed and stamped by the attending facility/hospital or attach signed and stamped proof of attendance, for example, a hospital letterhead appointment discharge card/letter/note.
Attach original, itemised receipts for public transport and/or accommodation to your claim form.
If this is your first claim, or your bank account details have changed, please attach a printed deposit slip or the top of your bank statement or an account verification from your bank.
Registration Form
Is available from your local hospital through a specialist or social worker.
A huge stress of an already stressful situation can be alleviated by getting this kind of help, don’t be afraid to ask if you are eligible and how to go about receiving it.
Once on the scheme remember to keep all documentation and receipts to claim eligible reimbursement.
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