The Travel Assistance Program (TAP) covers the cost of some travel if you have to travel from your home town to specialist appointments, procedures, or surgeries.
Tips & Links
- The Travel Assistance Program is offered in BC for some required specialist appointments, tests, surgeries, or hospital stays when the care is not available in your home community.
- It may also cover travel to some diagnostic procedures, laboratory procedures, diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine procedures, BC Cancer Agency, Transplant Units, HIV/AIDS treatment at St. Paul’s Hospital, specialty clinics at BC Children’s Hospital and other tertiary care hospital services.
- You need to ask your specialists for a letter or form to have the travel costs reimbursed.
- Be proactive: plan ahead by getting a confirmation number before you leave and keep all your receipts. Completed TAP forms are valid for up to 90 days.
- To be eligible for TAP you
- must be a B.C. resident and be enrolled in the medical services plan (MSP);
- must have a referral from a physician or nurse practitioner for a MSP insured specialized service not available locally; and
- your travel expenses must not be covered by third party insurance, such as an employer plan, extended medical plan, Insurance Corporation of BC, WorkSafe BC or federal government program (e.g., Veterans’ Affairs).
- You can also look into Health Connections which also covers some travel costs for people from the Interior, Island, Northern, and Vancouver Coastal Health Authorities in BC.
- A confirmation number and form are required to book a complimentary ferry reservation with BC ferries.
- Learn about the medical transport benefits for First Nations people organized by the First Nations Health Authority.
Tools – Handouts & Videos
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