Currently, regional and rural patients travelling for care and treatment of cancer and other chronic diseases who meet criteria, are eligible for a 21-cent/km rebate on travel and a $45/night rebate on accommodation.
This week, the Victorian Government announced those subsidies would rise to 35 cents/km and $125/night from July 1, next year, if it remained in power after November.
The Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme — a Cancer Council Victoria-led collaboration of 20 cancer, chronic disease, patient and carer support organisations — welcomed the commitment, after its ongoing calls for increased financial support for patients.
Cancer Council Victoria is now urging all parties contesting the election to commit to similar reforms, to ensure access to care is improved for all Victorians regardless of where they live in the state and no matter which party is in power.
“For too long, regional and rural Victorians have faced significant out-of-pocket costs simply because they need to travel to access essential medical care,” Cancer Council Victoria chief executive Todd Harper said.
“Many people affected by cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other serious health conditions have no choice but to travel long distances for treatment.
“The cost of fuel, accommodation and related expenses can place enormous pressure on families at an already challenging time.”
Cancer Council Victoria's recent survey of more than 400 regional and rural people affected by cancer found more than 90 per cent experienced out-of-pocket travel and accommodation costs, while almost half said the financial burden had a significant impact, including delaying or missing treatment because of cost.
VPTAS Alliance member Stroke Foundation chief executive Lisa Murphy said the proposed accommodation subsidy of $125 per night was particularly significant.
“The current accommodation subsidy has not meaningfully increased in more than a decade and falls well short of the real costs patients face when travelling for treatment,” Dr Murphy said.
“This proposed increase would make a tangible difference for Victorians who spend weeks, and sometimes months, away from home accessing life-saving treatment and care.”
The Leukaemia Foundation, another VPTAS member, recently released a national scorecard assessing patient travel assistance schemes across Australia, which found Victoria's accommodation subsidy was the lowest in the country, covering 28 per cent of actual accommodation costs.
It recommended an increase to the now promised $125 a night, which it says will cover at least 70 per cent of those costs.
The government’s announcement comes after the Coalition last week committed $95 million for the construction of stage two of Shepparton’s fully integrated cancer centre at GV Health during its first term if elected on November 28.
Shepparton is the only one of the six major designated regional health services in Victoria to not have a fully integrated cancer centre.
Throughout GV Health Foundation’s current $5 million community fundraising appeal for the cancer centre, many Goulburn Valley patients and their carers have lamented the inconvenience and financial, physical and emotional challenges of travelling for care.
Cancer patient Sarah Clarke said in July that dealing with the treatment was “exhausting enough”.
“Having to travel long distances regularly for appointments and treatment adds another layer of stress, fatigue, time away from family, and financial pressure,” Ms Clarke said.
Shepparton’s John Harmes spent weeks in a Melbourne hospital during his treatment.
“I’ve run out of annual leave, I’ve run out of sick leave, so as much as I want to get back into the workforce because it’s normal — you know, I can be myself when I’m working — I just can’t,” he said in September.
This week’s announcement to increase travel subsidies alleviates one of the issues rural and regional patients are facing accessing medical treatment for chronic conditions.
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