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Medical travel program needs to be more
beneficial for Labradorians says MHA Jones
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Yvonne Jones, MHA for the District of Cartwright-L=Anse Au Clair, would like the recent budgetary increase to the Medical Transportation Assistance Program for Labrador to be used to boost the base refundable amount from $500 to $1000, as well as to make eligible for compensation any road transportation for medical purposes. Government announced in its budget that $1.24 million will be allocated over a five year period to enhance the Medical Transportation Assistant Program, begun in 1998 under the Liberal government. The program provides financial assistance for persons who travel by commercial air to access medically insured services not available within their place of residence and/or within the province. AI am recommending that when this extra money is spent in Labrador, that two key areas be considered to make the program more helpful to those in need,@ says Jones. AFirst, it is important to increase the base refundable amount from the current $500 to $1,000. The high cost of airfare means that the program is largely inadequate. If the amount refunded was hiked to $1000, it would certainly relieve those that are already burdened with an illness of the extra financial costs of having to access hospital services outside their region. ASecondly, I would like government to consider that those people on the south coast of Labrador, who would normally access St. Anthony services, are now more commonly being referred to Corner Brook for medical treatment and therefore, they are incurring greater costs. These patients should be able to claim road transportation under this program.@ The Liberal MHA says that these two measures would make a significant improvement to the program for the residents of Labrador. APeople often find themselves in a crunch when trying to pay for the costs of travel for medical purposes. The program was put in place to benefit those patients in financial need and every effort needs to be made to ensure that it responds more effectively to those trying to obtain necessary medical attention and treatment. I look forward to these two components being incorporated in this important program.@
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