The Government of Prince Edward Island is pleased to announce today a new policy initiative as part of Budget 2010. This new reimbursement policy and support for Islanders will provide financial assistance for medical travel and medical accommodations to Islanders requiring transplant surgery, says the Health and Wellness Minister Carolyn Bertram.
“Having an organ transplant is a major medical procedure and we want to ease the financial burden of Islanders required to leave the Maritimes to undergo this surgery,” said Minister Bertram. “Our new policy will be offering reimbursement for Islanders who are required to live off-Island to receive transplant surgery.”
The new policy will benefit eligible patients scheduled for heart, heart-lung, lung (single or double), liver, or pancreas (non-âcell) transplant surgery by their transplant surgeon. In addition, the Province has a $493,000 Transplant Drug Program which provides approved immunosuppressant medications to persons who receive a bone marrow or solid organ transplant and are registered with the programs.
Eligible transplant patients will have access to $1,000 per month for accommodation subsidy, as well as up to $1,500 every six months for travel to or from Prince Edward Island to the transplant hospital city. Reimbursement must be requested within six months of completion of the transplant surgery and may be claimed monthly as the expenses are incurred by the patient.
This program will be administered by the Out of Province Referral Services section of Health PEI.
BACKGROUNDER
Reimbursement rates:
• $1,000 per month for accommodation subsidy (no receipts required).
• Up to $1,500 every six months for travel to or from PEI to the transplant hospital city (receipts will be required).
• Reimbursement must be requested within six months of completion of the transplant surgery and may be claimed monthly as the expenses are incurred by the patient.
Eligibility:
In order to be eligible for this reimbursement, Island patients must:
• be eligible for PEI Medicare services;
• be in possession of a valid PEI Medicare card;
• receive prior approval for off-Island medical services from the Out of Province Referral Office of Health PEI;
• be scheduled for heart, heart-lung, lung (single or double), liver, or pancreas (non-âcell) transplant surgery outside of the Canadian Maritime provinces by their transplant surgeon;
• live within 8 hours of the transplant surgery as required by their transplant surgeon and hospital being available whenever a suitable organ donation has been received;
• be scheduled for transplant surgery considered non-experimental by the PEI Medicare Medical Consultant(s); and
• support received from other government departments will be considered in determining eligibility.