Travel Assistance Program for Surgical Patients to be Extended.
Nova Scotians who need to travel to other parts of the province for surgery will continue to receive support for travel and accommodation.
The Province has extended the In-province Travel Assistance Pilot Program to Support Surgical Access for another year. The program reduces out-of-pocket costs for eligible, lower-income patients who must travel within the province for scheduled surgery, or endoscopy or cystoscopy procedures, including for the day of their surgery/procedure and some related appointments.
“Improving and increasing access to healthcare includes helping Nova Scotians reduce the financial burden associated with travelling to other parts of the province to receive a surgery or procedure,” said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. “This program may also help some patients get their surgery or procedure sooner if they can travel to a location with a shorter wait time.”
The pilot, which began June 1, 2023, is extended to May 31, 2025. It provides reimbursement for:
- transportation costs at $0.58 per kilometre when using personal vehicles
- accommodation costs of up to $85 per night if travelling more than 50 kilometres (one-way)
- transportation and accommodation costs for someone to travel with the patient if necessary.
To be eligible for the program, Nova Scotians must:
- have a confirmed surgery, endoscopy or cystoscopy procedure date
- be on the Nova Scotia Health wait list for surgery, or an endoscopy or cystoscopy procedure
- be a resident of Nova Scotia with a valid health card
- have a gross family income of less than $35,000 per year
- not have private insurance that covers travel or accommodation costs.
People can apply at: https://beta.novascotia.ca/surgical-access-initiative-program
Providing the care Nova Scotians need and deserve is a key solution in Action for Health, the government’s plan to improve healthcare in Nova Scotia.
Quick Facts:
- forty-three patients received financial support through the program in 2023-24
- endoscopy procedures use an endoscope or thin tube to look inside the upper (throat, stomach) or lower (colon, bowel) gastrointestinal tract
- cystoscopy procedures examine or repair tissues inside the bladder using a cystoscope, a thin tube with a camera and light inserted through the urethra
Additional Resources:
News release – Government Pilots Travel Assistance Program for Surgical Patients: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2023/05/25/government-pilots-travel-assistance-program-surgical-patients
Source : Provincial Release
