{"id":180656,"date":"2017-06-09T18:08:23","date_gmt":"2017-06-09T08:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=180656"},"modified":"2020-07-13T16:00:01","modified_gmt":"2020-07-13T06:00:01","slug":"travel-funding-slashed-mp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/06\/09\/travel-funding-slashed-mp\/","title":{"rendered":"Travel Funding Slashed: MP"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Deputy Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

June 9, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington says the State Government has slashed funding to the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme.<\/p>\n

The scheme reimburses rural and remote residents who have to travel more than 50km for specialist medical services which are not available locally.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, an Ombudsman’s report was released which was highly critical of the administration of the scheme, especially with the long delays that some patients have waited to have claims reimbursed.<\/p>\n

Figures released by Mrs Frecklington show the LNP Government almost doubled funding for the travel scheme from $13.4 million to $26 million in the 2013-14 Budget. In the 2014-15 Budget, this figure rose to $30.8 million.<\/p>\n

But Mrs Frecklington says funding dried up in 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have received so many calls from very worried and upset people who have experienced difficulties with the scheme, with those inquiries increasing steadily over the past 12 months,” Mrs Frecklington said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the South Burnett, the PTSS it is one of our biggest issues.<\/p>\n

“In many instances, the only way people in our region can access the health care specialists they need is to travel to the major centres like Toowoomba or Brisbane.<\/p>\n

“They need assurance that when they make a claim for their travel and accommodation, it will be honoured, and it will be provided in a reasonable time-frame, not months and months later.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2012-13, the our former LNP Government doubled the subsidy for patients needing the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme \u2013 from $30 to $60 per night – the first time it had been increased in more than 20 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we are finding now is that reimbursements are being delayed or denied as the funding provided by this Labor Government dried up in 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t stress how important this scheme is for regional people and the funding must be reinstated to the levels the LNP had provided.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme Ombudsman\u2019s Report provides an opportunity for Labor to tackle poor administration of the scheme, but Labor must also come clean on the slashing of funding to the program.”<\/p>\n