PATS help

Friday December 01, 2023

THOSE living in rural and regional areas are now eligible for financial support to travel to specialist prosthetic and orthotic clinics for health appointments.

The announcement comes under an expansion of the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS) less than a year after the fuel subsidy for eligible medical appointments was doubled.

Those who need artificial legs or arms, foot supports for diabetes or braces for vascular conditions will be able to claim the rebate of 32 cents per kilometre if they have to travel more than 100km each way to appointments.

Consultation with specialists and consumers identified orthotic and prosthetic appointments was a "major gap" for PATS support with the expansion expected to subsidise more than 45,000km of travel to specialist fittings and checkups in its first year.

Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell said it was fantastic to hear the expansion of criteria stating he believed those living regionally or rurally should not be "disadvantaged".

"The reality is there are a number of services which can only be performed in a metropolitan area," Mr Bell said.

"In an ideal world the cost of traveling to a metropolitan facility, including accommodation, would be fully covered because that is the service which somebody living in a metropolitan area just takes for granted.

"We are all part of one state and I continue to advocate for improvements to PATS with the next one being nightly accommodation which has not changed since 2014."

Minister for health and wellbeing Chris Picton said PATS delivered "really important financial assistance" to thousands of South Australians in regional and rural areas each year.

"I'm proud that we can now help even more people access the care they need, especially when they have to travel long distances from home," Mr Picton said.

"This expansion means more South Australians will be able to get to their orthotic and prosthetic appointments in the first place, and help them maintain the supports which make a huge difference to their quality of life."

People living in remote areas are encouraged to check their eligibility and apply for subsidies by submitting a claim on the PATS website with paper forms also available online or at general practitioner clinics.

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