The Marathon Family Health Team is pleased to share important updates regarding the Northern Ontario Health Travel Grant Program, which came into effect on December 1st, 2024. These changes are designed to make it easier for individuals and families in Northern Ontario to access specialized health care and reduce the cost of travel.

What is the Northern Health Travel Grant?

The Northern Health Travel Grant helps patients who need to travel long distances to access health care services covered by OHIP that are not available within 100 kilometres of their home. This can include visits to specialists, diagnostic services, and other care that may not be offered locally.

What’s Changing with the Northern Health Travel Grant?

Here’s a quick overview of the recent improvements:

• Increased accommodation allowance: The nightly accommodation rate has been raised from $100 to $175. For stays of eight nights or more, the total allowance has increased from $550 to $1,150.
• Lowered travel distance requirement: The distance to be eligible for overnight accommodations has been reduced from 200 km to 100 km, making more people eligible for assistance.
• Expanded eligibility for travel companions: Patients who need a companion to accompany them during hospital stays will now have that expense covered.
• Full reimbursement for travel distance: The program will reimburse every kilometre traveled at a rate of $0.41/km, removing the previous 100 km deductible.
• More eligible health care providers and facility locations: The program now includes more providers and facilities, such as community laboratories, to help more people get reimbursed for travel-related costs.

How to Get a Travel Grant

You can pick up a travel grant form at the Marathon Family Health Team. The program no longer requires a signature from a health care provider, so when you request a travel grant, you will receive a blank form to fill out yourself. The responsibility for submitting the form is still with the patient.

Starting in Spring 2025, the program will have an online application form where you can submit digital receipts for faster reimbursement.

If you have any questions or need further information, please visit https://www.ontario.ca/page/northern-health-travel-grant-program. You can also reach us by emailing [email protected] or calling 807-229-3243.