"Can Assist" - Cancer Assistance Network, NSW - re accommodation, advocacy, assistance & resources
Can Assist has numerous branches around rural NSW and have a great list of resources that are available to Cancer Patients in NSW ..... over and above the ones that you already know about! https://canassist.org.au/cancer-assistance/#community They can also provide practical financial assistance too - and helped us out last year when my husband was diagnosed as Stage 4 - even paying a Council Rates bill on our behalf and giving us a Petrol Voucher and Grocery Voucher. https://canassist.org.au/cancer-assistance/ They are always canvassing the NSW Gov to improve (by reducing) the amount of paperwork required with completing & returning the IPTAAS forms (Isolated Patients Transport & Accommodation Assistance Scheme) whereby travel and accommodation can be partially reimbursed - if you've been knocked back on transport or accommodation reimbursement for any reason - they'd like to hear from you. They are advocating for more support for rural cancer patients in many submissions to the Govt ... with increased reimbursement rates and decreased paperwork ie, that IPTAAS referral should last as long as the illness (not requiring new IPTAAS referrals every 2 years) and reducing the number of signatures for a single appointment (sometimes up to 6!). eg there is NO NEED for a GP to sign off on a referral from your Cancer Specialist ..... as, apart from anything else - it is throwing money away (yours and/or the Gov if bulk billed) and it effectively reduces the amount you receive from IPTAAS, as you've had to 'pay out' to get it! RIDICULOUS! https://canassist.org.au/about-us/advocacy/ Jump onto these links above & see just what they are all about .... and what resources are available to us, here in NSW.Can you add more suggestions re travel & accommodation schemes in Australia
NSW Gov is asking for comments re travel & accomodation schemes - but, really, it relates to ALL states .... If you live in rural/regional/remote areas, make your concerns KNOWN to the powers that be ..... and JOIN OUR PRIVATE GROUP to share/agitate for better reimbursements! https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/nsw-regional-health-plan?fbclid=IwAR1pSqCbCrPsargRf6xFxO817kIRjlrwB7Ll6evGRs1AOivg5VC9ZIaaWyU I reckon it is all of the above - as the hoops needed to jump thru for IPTAAS are ridiculous. 3 things that need to change asap - 1) ALL family members on the Medicare card should be able to contribute to the 200k a week travel required to access the payments - not each individual having to travel that amount themselves. 2) The specialist referrals for chronic/terminal conditions should last for the length of the treatment, not needing a new referral every 2 years. Either the patient gets better & the treatment/claims stop - or the patient passes away & the treatment/claims stop. 3) Essential Dental Treatment (eg extractions required before undergoing some forms of chemo) currently need to be done in a hospital to be able to make a claim (which takes up essential hospital beds) when they can be readily done in the Dental Chair .... THIS NEEDS to be changed - as we still need to travel for the service, but are not allowed to claim for it & it is an essential part of the patient's treatment. NOT having it done, can cause death or permanent disfigurement. And that is just the beginning ...... feel free to do the survey, tell them your ideas - hopefully some of them will be carried thru!
