It’s no secret many people across the territory need to travel for medical reasons.
Starting in June, the Department of Health and Social Services is making changes to the Medical Travel Program, which pays a portion of the travel costs for NWT residents who need to access insured health services outside their community.
In a news release, the department says the co-payment will increase from $125 to $200 per one-way trip.
This is only accessible to residents who do not have travel benefits through personal insurance, and who meet the program’s low-income definition.
The department also announced changes in that low-income definition.
Before, the threshold was a household income below $80,000. Now individuals with an income of $70,000 or less, married or common-law couples with a combined income of $85,000, and families with one or more minor children with an income of less of $100,000 have all become eligible.
Finally, the department is adding a new exceptions policy where the director of medical insurance can consider individual cases that may not be otherwise eligible for the payment assistance.
These changes kick in on June 1.
