Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme
Victorian patients and carers guide to claiming accommodation subsidies
What is the VPTAS scheme?
The Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme subsidises the costs of travel and accommodation for residents of Victoria who need to travel long distances for specialist medical care.
Subsidies are provided to help cover the costs of staying in accommodation close to hospitals. Patients can also claim travel costs including private car and public transport costs.
VPTAS supports residents of Victoria travelling to hospitals in Victoria and other States. Interstate patients travelling to hospitals in Victoria must apply to the scheme in their home State.
Eligibility Criteria
In Victoria, the main eligibility criteria for VPTAS is distance. Distance is defined from the patient’s home address to the specialist medical facility (hospital or clinic) or dental facility. There are two distance eligibility criteria:
People travelling more than 100km from home to medical care (one way)
People travelling an average of 500km over a week for one or more weeks.
Plus...
You also need to be a Victorian resident.
You must be travelling to specialist medical or dental care that is not available closer to home.
Who decides if I am eligible to claim VPTAS
Your medical specialist needs to confirm you are travelling for specialist medical care. The doctor must be approved to practice as a specialist under Medicare Australia and their details must be included on the form. The specialist or an authorised officer, such as a hospital social worker, practice manager, receptionist or nurse may sign your form.
Please ask your medical specialist or staff at the clinic to assist you with this process. You can also contact the VPTAS Office directly for further information. Once your form is submitted to the VPTAS Office, they will process your application and confirm your eligibility and reimbursements.
Please note, MediStays does not approve your application.
How much is the accommodation subsidy
The subsidy varies depending on your situation:
Patients
Patients not admitted to hospital may be eligible to claim up to $49.50/night (incl GST) accommodation subsidy.
Patients travelling with an approved escort
Patients not admitted to hospital who are travelling with an approved escort may be eligible to claim up to $99.00/night (incl GST).
Escorts
If you are an approved escort for a patient admitted to hospital you can claim an accommodation subsidy of up to $49.50/night (incl GST).
When to submit a VPTAS application form
If you are eligible to apply for VPTAS, post your hard copy, signed form and MediStays tax invoice to the VPTAS office when your stay has finished.
Do I need to keep a diary of my travel?
Yes, please enter the details of your travel and accommodation on VPTAS form Page 2. Please check the VPTAS form for further instructions
Other frequently asked questions
Unfortunately, VPTAS do not allow pre-approval of accommodation subsidies for Victorian patients and carers.
However, MediStays is here to support with you discounted accommodation until your VPTAS submission is approved. Please visit our blog on how to claim VPTAS here.
Every property on the MediStays website can be booked for your accommodation and VPTAS claim.
No, VPTAS entitles you to claim all accommodation costs, including one-night stays
As escort is a person approved to travel with the patient. This may include your husband or wife, carer or the parents of children under 18 years of age.
A person can have more than one escort if they are under the age of 18 years, certain conditions apply.
Accommodation in private homes is not covered under the VPTAS scheme.
You must claim the subsidy for the state or territory where you live (not the location of your treating hospital).
Participation in some clinical trials will deem patients’ ineligible to claim VPTAS. Please discuss this with your medical specialist if unsure.
As stated on the VPTAS website, in general, you will not be eligible to claim VPTAS if you:
- participate in clinical trials or experimental treatments that are medical research studies that aim to find a better way to manage a particular disease
- live in states or territories other than Victoria (unless they are a living organ donor to a Victorian patient)
- are away from their permanent place of residence when the treatment episode begins, such as when on holidays or while visiting friends or family either within Victoria or interstate
- are undertaking a journey to or from outside Australia for medical treatment
- are accessing allied health (for example, audiology, physiotherapy, podiatry, speech therapy)
- are accessing general practitioner (GP) services
- are eligible to claim assistance under another state or territory or from a registered benefit organisation including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- were injured in a motor vehicle accident and are covered by the Transport Accident Commission
- were injured at work and are covered by WorkSafe
- have received or claimed by way of compensation, damages or other payment in respect to the illness or injury being treated.
If your accommodation costs are more than the VPTAS subsidy, you will need to pay some out of pocket expenses. For example, if a patient and escort stay in accommodation close to hospital at $140/night, they will pay $41 per night for accommodation. VPTAS will subsidise the remaining $99/night.
You will need to pay the first $100 in a treatment year. A treatment year starts from the date of the first appointment with the medical specialist. This fee is waived if you are a primary card holder for the Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card.
A treatment year starts from the date of your first appointment.
The $100 co-payment fee is waived if you are a primary card holder for the Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card.
Yes, if you are an approved escort you are eligible to claim the accommodation subsidy. For example, you may drive your husband to the hospital and book accommodation with MediStays until he is discharged. You are eligible to claim $49.50/night accommodation subsidy in this situation.
Yes, VPTAS covers public transport costs. Keep a copy of your tax invoices and record details of your journey (dates) on the form. If you are eligible to travel on V-Line for free, please state ‘V’ in the transport type.
Yes, VPTAS covers petrol costs. If you travel in a private car, you are eligible to claim 21 cents per kilometre. Google maps is used to calculate the distance from your home address to the hospital/clinic address. You do not need to provide tax invoices for petrol costs.
Please contact the VPTAS office directly for further information on 1300 737 073 or vptas@dhhs.vic.gov.au if you have any questions.
The website is here.
Once your form is submitted to the VPTAS Office, they will process your application and confirm your eligibility and reimbursements.
If you are eligible to apply for VPTAS, post your hard copy, signed form and MediStays tax invoice to the VPTAS office when your stay has finished.
For long stays, you may also apply in advance or in regular intervals.
How MediStays can help…
Checking your eligibility after booking
When you book accommodation with MediStays, you can choose to tell us your postcode. This enables us to guide you on your eligibility for VPTAS and send you the link for the relevant VPTAS paperwork.
Which MediStays accommodation is eligible?
All properties listed on the MediStays website are eligible – simply book on our website and submit your MediStays tax invoice with your application form.
Are you a patient or carer travelling for medical care?
Our Care Navigators can assist with accommodation and funding support.