Changes to the Northern Health Travel Grant program will take effect on Monday.
They were first announced in April.
Health Minister Sylvia Jones says northerners needing to travel for medical care will be rebated more money than before.
“Starting on December 1, we have an additional enhancement that says 200 kilometres is going to 100 kilometres, $175 per night for accommodation and expanding eligibility to include medical travel companions accompanying a patient,” says Jones.
The government has also improved claims processing by allowing residents to submit claims online.
“But even prior to December 1, we have already improved access to ensure that people can do much more of their filing online so it’s more convenient. We are not relying on the mail to make sure that people submit their information.”
Jones announced in April that the province is spending $45 million over three years to expand the program.
Other measures included eliminating the need for a signature from the referring health care provider, adding more eligible health care providers and more facility locations and removing the 100-kilometre deductible so people are reimbursed for every kilometre travelled.
It is the first time since 2017 that changes to the Health Travel Grant have been made.
