Patients are eligible for PTSS if they are:

• a Queensland resident or genuine vagrant (patient with no fixed address); and
• eligible for Medicare; and
• travelling to attend a specialist medical service that is:
  • recommended as medically necessary by a medical practitioner, i.e. they have a referral from their medical practitioner,
  • an approved PTSS specialty,
  • not available, through the public health system, within 50km of their nearest public hospital.

*Patients may be required to provide proof of eligibility.

If the specialist medical treatment is available locally through Telehealth patients may not be eligible for PTSS.

Patients are not eligible for PTSS if they are:

• Not a permanent Queensland resident i.e. travelling in Queensland for business or holidays, including fly-in fly-out (FIFO) or temporary workers.
• Eligible to claim assistance from a third party, (e.g. WorkCover, Department of Veterans' Affairs, Motor Accident Insurance Commission). Patients may be eligible for partial subsidies if the third-party assistance is less than what would be covered by the Scheme.
• Being transported by urgent or non-urgent transport arranged by Queensland Health i.e. emergency ambulance. Patients may be eligible for a subsidy for the return journey.
• Seeking a second opinion without a medical referral from a specialist.
• Participating in clinical trials or experimental procedures.
• Travelling overseas to access treatment.

Patients who have travelled for specialist medical treatment within the last 12 months are able to submit a retrospective application for assessment.

All Australian states and territories have patient travel schemes. Patients should apply for patient travel assistance in the state or territory where they reside permanently.

Detailed information on the PTSS can be found in the PTSS Guideline.

Patients need to submit an application form to apply for PTSS. A copy of their referral letter or appointment confirmation should be included with their application, if they have one.

The clinician who is referring the patient will need to complete some parts of this form.

Patients applying for PTSS should submit their application form as early as possible to allow sufficient time to process the application and book travel and accommodation, if required.

Patients can submit their application to any Queensland public hospital or health facility either in person, by email, fax or post. Many hospitals have travel offices, otherwise patients can submit their application at reception.

Assessment of applications

Once the application has been received, it will be assessed against the PTSS Guideline to determine the patient's subsidy eligibility. Applications should be assessed within five working days of all necessary documentation being received. Incomplete forms may result in longer processing times.

Office hours

The operating hours of the offices processing PTSS applications vary between different hospitals and health facilities. Patients should check office times before visiting their local travel office.

Contact your local public hospital or health facility for more information.

Notification of outcome

Once an application has been received it will be assessed by the local hospital or health facility. This should take no more than five working days, from the date they submit their completed application.

If the patient's application has not been approved, they will be given the reason for non-approval and advised of the process for lodging an appeal.

Once the patient has confirmed their specialist appointment, their travel and accommodation can be booked. At this stage of the process, patients should have been advised of their approved subsidies.

The local hospital or health facility will either book travel and accommodation on behalf of the patient or provide information to assist them.

Travel and accommodation subsidies are paid at the approved amount only and patients will be required to pay any additional costs.

Patients who book their own travel or accommodation need to submit their tax invoices to their local hospital or health facility, after their appointment, to start the claim process. Any GST paid by the patient cannot be claimed.

Patients eligible for the accommodation subsidy are required to pay for the first four nights of accommodation each financial year, unless they are a minor or a concession card holder.

Find out more about subsidies available for travel, accommodation and escorts.

By this stage of the process patients should have confirmed their specialist appointment, and have their travel and accommodation booked, ready to attend their appointment.

To confirm attendance at their specialist appointment patients will need to complete the specialist certification form. This form needs to be completed for each specialist appointment and can be signed by the specialist or their nominated representative.

Patients claiming the accommodation subsidy will need to complete the commercial accommodation form for paid accommodation or the private accommodation form if they stay with friends or family.

Patients staying in paid commercial accommodation should check to see if their hospital will pay their accommodation subsidy directly to the accommodation provider. If this is the case, the hospital will send the commercial accommodation form to the accommodation provider prior to the patient travelling. Patients will need to sign this form when they check-out as well as pay for any additional costs.

Patients staying in private accommodation need to submit a signed private accommodation form to claim their subsidy.

Returning home

If return transport has not been booked, patients should speak to someone at the treating facility (such as ward or clinic staff, or a social worker) about contacting their local hospital or health facility to arrange this. Before organising transport home, patients should wait to be advised about when they are clinically approved to travel.

When patients return home after their appointment they need to submit their signed specialist certification form to their local hospital or health facility.

In addition, patients who booked their own travel and accommodation will need to submit tax invoices. Tax invoices do not need to be submitted for patients approved for the private motor vehicle subsidy.

Travel and accommodation subsidy payments will not include any GST paid by the patient.