Existing Government Programming
First Nations Health Authority (FNHA): For many First Nations people, especially those living in rural or remote areas, it can be challenging to access necessary medical care. First Nations Health Benefits offers support to help with these challenges through the Medical Transportation (MT) Benefit. Health Benefits works with First Nations communities to deliver the MT Benefit. Community Patient Travel Clerks or FNHA Assessors are your connections to help you access your MT Benefits. Your MT Benefits provide assistance with the cost of meals, accommodation and transportation to help you travel to a medical appointment outside your community of residence. MT coverage is intended as a supplement and may not cover the full cost of your travel. If you need someone to accompany you on your trip to your appointment, you may be eligible to travel with an escort. ​For those with First Nations Status.
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Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (MSDPR): As a client of the MSDPR you may benefit for travel assistance and they will even assist in booking and paying for your hotel stay in Vancouver. Ask your social worker to help you apply. (Is your annual household income below $42,000?)
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BC Family Residence Program (BCFRP): Families traveling to Vancouver with pediatric patients can benefit from travel assistance including accommodation. Accommodation is arranged at convenient locations in the Vancouver area so that a family is able to stay close by while their child is receiving medical care. The program provides accommodation assistance to a family for one room for up to 30 days per stay. Families may contact Variety - The Children's Charity directly to apply for assistance through this program.
The BC Family Residence Program does not directly book hotels for patients. Instead, it provides accommodation assistance to families who require medical care at BC Children's Hospital or Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children. The program arranges accommodation at convenient locations in the Vancouver area, ensuring families can stay close to their child's medical care. However, families are responsible for the cost of accommodation and must make their own arrangements. Payment of the accommodation subsidy is made directly to the facilities approved by the program.
Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) "At Home" Program: Travel assistance and accommodation provided for pediatric patients with complex health care needs.
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Hope Air: Transportation available to those traveling to access healthcare in British Columbia (national organization).
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Canadian Cancer Society and Lodges: Canadian Cancer Society lodges provide places for people who need to travel from their home community for treatment in Victoria, Vancouver, Kelowna and Prince George. There is no out-of-pocket costs for patients. If the lodge is full, they will help you find a stay at a local hotel in Vancouver. Additional travel funds for oncology patients can be accessed through the Travel Treatment Fund.
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Living Organ Donation Expense Reimbursement Program: The BC & Yukon Branch administers a program for potential living donors that will reimburse eligible expenses related to organ donation. This includes hotel room nights that do not exceed $400/night in the high season (summer) and $200/night in the low season. ​​
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Hotel Medical Rates: Although this is listed on the government website for travel assistance, these rates are note guaranteed and will only save you tens of dollars. If there is a concert or event jeopardizing the space, there is no security regarding availability or affordability. There are no existing contracts between government and hotels. Furthermore, this platform was designed and intended for traveling staff and part of the Ministry of Citizens' Services - not the Ministry of Health.
Travel Assistance Program (TAP) nor Health Connections assists with accommodation costs when staying away from home for healthcare access but may help with your other travel costs such as ferry or transportation costs. *Every health authority has different transport offerings! Check to see what is available in your community.
IVF: the new government-funded IVF program is only available through three clinics, all of which are in Vancouver...
Yukon Medical Travel Program: the Medical Travel program is just one of a few in the Yukon, each having its own legislation, policies, criteria, budgets and allowances.
Yukon residents who are Status First Nations receive their travel through NIHB, any Federal Government Employees (Parks Canada, RCMP, etc) fall under the Federal medical travel, and travel as a result of a workplace injury goes through Workers Compensation, and then everyone else falls under the Medical Travel program.
Currently the Medical Travel program provides an after the fact- flat rate daily per diem, to help assist our clients with any costs incurred, such as food, taxis, and accommodations. While some are able to stay with friend and family, or utilize Ronald McDonald House, Easter Seals, and the Cancer lodges, many do need to stay in a hotel which can be quite costly during peak times and high cost accommodations continues to be a barrier for some of our residents.
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If you need to stay overnight as an outpatient while on medical travel, you will receive a $174 travel subsidy starting on the first day (up to 16 days). Any pre approved escorts will receive a travel subsidy of $88 per day.
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If you are admitted to a facility as an inpatient, you are not entitled to a daily subsidy, however, depending on the approval type, an escort may be eligible to receive a travel subsidy of $174 per day during your admittance.
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WorkSafeBC: provides the most extensive coverage for costs related to travelling for healthcare. However, the illness or injury must be determined to be a result of workplace conditions. It is available anytime someone must travel further than 40 kilometres for medical care and it covers all reasonable public transportation costs as well as $0.70 per kilometre driven in a private vehicle. There is also a daily food stipend of $69.50 and all accommodation is covered. Additionally, the same coverage is provided for a caregiver or companion if required due to the age or health of the patient.
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The Gap
Many patients fall through the gap when it comes to funding that supports access to care. If your annual household income is above $42,000 you cannot qualify for assistance through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction.
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If you do not have First Nations status you will not benefit from the FNHA medical travel program.​
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The Yukon budget of $155/day most likely would not cover a hotel stay.
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We can look at Hope Air: "1/3 patients would cancel or postpone treatment without the help of Hope Air; 9/10 patients would not have a way of reaching their medical care." Unfortunately, Hope Air's funding has been cut, and they can no longer offer accommodation stays to British Columbians.
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New IVF treatments are only offered in Vancouver but travel assistance to get to these clinics is not offered.
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The Travel Assistance Program (TAP) of which the Province boasts about when it comes to providing access to care, has nothing to do with accommodation and is not a sufficient answer for those who cannot afford to access medical care due to the price of hotel rooms and lack of availability.
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The BC Family Residence Program and At Home Program is only for pediatric patients and families.
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WorkSafeBC is only for those injured on the job.
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To summarize, only those under the poverty line, have First Nations Status, pediatric patients, organ donors, WorkSafeBC recipients, or Yukon residents can qualify for adequate accommodation support when traveling to access medical care in Vancouver, BC (unless a fitting organization is linked to their need, offering support).
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