Government Increases Subsidies, Patient Travel Spend Surges

• $84.24 million was spent on the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS) in 2022-23
• PTSS expenditure rose 21 per cent compared with 2021-22
• North West Hospital and Health Service (HHS), Cairns and Hinterland HHS, Torres and Cape HHS and Central Queensland HHS recorded the biggest increases
• The scheme's subsidy rates for commercial travel and accommodation have increased thanks to an additional $70.3 million over four years for the PTSS

Queensland Health spent $84.24 million, or an average of $230,000 per day, supporting patients who needed to travel for essential specialist healthcare last financial year.

In the 2022-23 financial year, the state's 16 HHSs spent 21 per cent more than they did in the previous financial year, when $69.6 million was spent on PTSS.

Significant increases in PTSS expenditure were recorded by North West; Cairns and Hinterland; Torres and Cape and Central Queensland.

All HHSs except for Central West and Children's Health Queensland reported an increase in expenditure from the 2021-22 financial year.

An additional $70.3 million has been provided over the next four years to support the scheme's increased concession rates.

Since 1 July 2023, accommodation rates for eligible PTSS patients rose 15 per cent – from $60 per person a night to $70 per person a night.

Mileage rates increased 13 per cent – from 30 cents a kilometre to 34 cents a kilometre.

The 2023-24 PTSS budget of $113.8 million was bolstered by additional funding to support the repatriation of deceased patients to their Queensland place of residence, their Queensland Traditional Homelands or their Queensland First Nations Country.

Expenditure dipped in 2020-21 and 2021-22, largely due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The PTSS provides financial assistance mostly to eligible patients in rural, remote and regional Queensland who need to travel more than 50 kilometres from their closest public health facility to access essential specialist health services.

The scheme assists with commercial travel, accommodation, and private vehicle expenses, while subsidies also exist for air, bus, ferry, or rail fares for eligible patients.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Health Shannon Fentiman:

"I am committed to supporting Queenslanders to access the health care they need, no matter where they live.

"The Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme has helped thousands of Queenslanders receive the essential specialist health care they need.

"We have provided more than $900 million in travel and accommodation subsidies over the past 10 financial years including this financial year.

"The PTSS is a vital scheme, and we will continue to ensure it is accessible to all eligible Queenslanders."

PTSS expenditure by HHS