BC Medical Travel Assistance – What You Need to Know

BC medical travel assistance can be a lifesaver if you find yourself in need of medical care while travelling. Here’s what you need to know about this valuable service.

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Introduction

The BC Medical Travel Assistance program is designed to help residents of British Columbia who need to travel outside of the province for non-emergency medical care. If you are a BC resident and you need to travel for medical care that is not available in your home province, you may be eligible for financial assistance through this program.

Here’s what you need to know about the BC Medical Travel Assistance program:

-What is covered by the program?
-How do I apply for assistance?
-What are the eligibility requirements?
-What are the deadlines for applying?
-What documents do I need to submit?

What is BC Medical Travel Assistance?

BC Medical Travel Assistance (BCMTA) is a program designed to help British Columbians with the cost of medical travel. If you need to travel for medical treatment that is not available in your community, you may be eligible for assistance with the cost of travel, accommodation and other related expenses.

Who is Eligible for BC Medical Travel Assistance?

To be eligible for BC medical travel assistance, you must:
-Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
-Have a valid BC Services Card
-Be a resident of BC for at least three months
-Have been diagnosed with a condition that requires specialist care not available in your home community
-Not be eligible for similar coverage from another government program, such as Veterans Affairs Canada or the Indian Health Service

What Expenses are Covered by BC Medical Travel Assistance?

The BC Medical Travel Assistance program provides financial assistance for eligible out-of-province medical treatment not available in BC. The program covers travel, accommodation and living expenses while you are away from home, as well as some costs related to having a caregiver with you.

To be eligible for the program, you must:
-Be a resident of British Columbia
-Be enrolled in the BC Medical Services Plan
-Receive a referral from a specialist in BC for medically necessary treatment not available in the province

For more information on the program, including how to apply, please visit the health insurance BC website.

How to Apply for BC Medical Travel Assistance?

If you are a BC resident and need to travel outside of the province for medical treatment that is not available in BC, you may be eligible for medical travel assistance.

To apply for medical travel assistance, you will need to:

-Complete a Medical Travel Assistance application form
-Submit the completed application form, along with any required supporting documentation, to the Medical Transportation Coordination Centre
-If you are approved for medical travel assistance, theMTCC will coordinate your travel arrangements and make all necessary arrangements with the out-of-province health care provider

How is BC Medical Travel Assistance Funded?

The BC Medical Travel Assistance program is funded by the Government of British Columbia and is administered by the Medical Services Commission. The program helps eligible residents of British Columbia with the cost of medically-required travel when they must travel outside of their home community to access non-emergency medical specialist services.

What are the Criteria for Approval of BC Medical Travel Assistance?

To be eligible for BC medical travel assistance, you must:
-Be a resident of British Columbia
-Be receiving treatment at a hospital or medical facility outside of BC that is not available in BC
-Have a referral from a physician licensed in BC
-Not be covered by a government health insurance plan outside of BC

What is the Process for Appeal if BC Medical Travel Assistance is Denied?

If you are denied BC medical travel assistance, you can appeal the decision. The first step is to request a review by the Medical Services Commission. To do this, you will need to submit a written request, along with any new information that you think may be relevant to your case. The Commission will then review your file and make a decision. If you are still denied assistance, you can appeal to the Health Authorities Joint Standing Committee. This Committee will review your file and make a final decision.

What are the Timeframes for BC Medical Travel Assistance?

If you are a resident of British Columbia, you may be eligible for medical travel assistance through the BC Medical Travel Assistance program. This program provides financial assistance for medical travel and accommodation expenses for BC residents who need to travel outside of their home province for medical treatment that is not available in BC.

There are two main types of assistance available through the BC Medical Travel Assistance program:

-One-time financial assistance for medical travel and accommodation expenses incurred while travelling outside of BC for medical treatment. This type of assistance is available on a case-by-case basis and is based on individual need.

-Continuing financial assistance for medical travel and accommodation expenses incurred while travelling outside of BC for ongoing medical treatment. This type of assistance is available to those who have been assessed by a physician as requiring ongoing out-of-province medical treatment and who meet the program’s eligibility criteria.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to read this BC Medical Travel Assistance guide. We hope that it has been helpful in answering some of your questions.

Remember that if you are planning on traveling outside of BC, it is important to check with your health insurance provider to make sure that you are covered. You should also make sure to get travel insurance that will cover medical expenses in case of an emergency.

If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.