Promised changes to the Northern Ontario Health Travel Grant are about to come into effect.
In the Legislature on Tuesday, Health Minister Sylvia Jones reiterated the province’s three-year, $48 million funding announcement from earlier this year, with program expansions and improvements to start this Sunday.
“Starting on December 1 we have an additional enhancement that says 200 km is going to 100 km, $75 per night for accommodations and expanding eligibility to include medical travel companions accompanying a patient,” she says.
Specifically, the travel distance requirement to be eligible for the overnight accommodation allowance is dropping from 200 km to 100 km, while the accommodation allowance is increasing from $100 to $175 per night.
Jones was replying to Algoma Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha, who asked the minister when the promises made seven months ago would be kept.
“People in Northern Ontario deserve equitable access to healthcare,” he says. “They shouldn’t be deciding between getting treatment and paying their bills.”
The funding was included in this year’s budget.
