Patients, who are required by their physician to travel outside the Province, but still within Canada, may qualify for accommodation/meal expenses during a defined period and in accordance with the Medicare Hostel Policy. The patient is required by the treating physician to remain at least three (3) consecutive nights or more at a hostel.
The maximum allowable coverage for hostel, including meals, is $110.00 per day (taxes included). If a physician confirms that there is a medical need for an escort, one may be approved up to $66.74 per day toward their meals (prior approval is mandatory). They are required to share the room with the patient.
For patients requiring long term stay (over 30 days) Medicare will not pay lodging in a hotel/motel, rather the patients are expected to rent an apartment which Medicare will pay up to a maximum of $2,500.00 per month.
In these cases, the patient/escort is expected to buy groceries and prepare meals just like they would at home. No meal allowance for either the patient or escort will be forthcoming. Patients for whom hostel expenses are not covered by Medicare (i.e. staying with family) are not entitled to a meal allowance either.
Accommodation expenses for patients and/or escorts are only considered when patients are NOT admitted to hospital, and are being treated/assessed on an out-patient basis.
Travel expenses are not covered by New Brunswick Medicare.
In order for funding to be approved for lodging/meals, a prior approval request from a transplant co-ordinator, attending physicians, social worker, or care co-ordinator must be submitted to Medicare. It should provide at minimum:
- patient’s name and Medicare number
- the patient’s diagnosis
- reason for referral out-of-province
- name of physician and hospital where the service is being requested
- specify the service being requested
- anticipated length of stay
The prior approval letter may be faxed or mailed to:
Dr. Zeljko Bolesnikov
Medical Consultant
Medicare
PO Box 5100
Fredericton, NB E3B 5G8 Fax: (506) 457-7671
NOTE: Medicare will not reimburse fees for lodging and meals associated with out-of-province medical services if those same services are available in New Brunswick.