B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne says government remains committed to expanding assistance for medical travel
A rural health-care advocate welcomes additional provincial support for ferry-dependent communities, but also expresses hope that government will follow through on other promises and address gaps.
B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne announced Thursday (Dec. 19) the expansion of the Travel Assistance Program for medical care to seven, privately managed ferry routes serving coastal communities on Vancouver Island as well as the provincial mainland.
With an annual budget of $14.5 million, TAP supports patients who need to travel by air, ground and BC Ferries to communities other than their own to access non-emergency medical specialists. Government last year approved almost 99,000 TAP requests. The program coexists with dedicated funding for rural patients needing cancer care in other parts of the province.
Paul Adams, executive director of the BC Rural Health Network, said the inclusion of those ferry routes is welcome, because those communities are
Expansion of medical travel support welcomed but gaps in B.C. remain: Expert
