N.L. government partners for high-flying medical transportation pilot program

A new partnership between Newfoundland and Labrador and a national charity will send some Labrador medical patients flying high for treatment, at no upfront cost. 

Hope Air signed on to the pilot project with the province's Medical Transportation Assistance Program (MTAP) on Tuesday.

Labrador Affairs Minster Lisa Dempster said it's a "beautiful" thing.

Patients who have a gross family income of $70,000 or less can apply to Hope Air directly and, if approved, the organization will arrange and pay for their flights, accommodations, meals and taxis.

"It's like the full meal deal," Dempster said in an interview on CBC Radio's On The Go. 

She said it won't replace the existing provincial program, which reimburses those who require air travel to get to their appointments for specialized treatments. A document highlighting the Hope Air partnership says people should consider both options and choose the one that is "most economical and suitable" for their needs.

Once Hope Air arranges travel and accommodation, the charity then submits an application to the province for reimbursement.

WATCH | Lisa Dempster signs on to a new medical transportation partnership: 

N.L. begins new partnership to increase medical transportation access

4 days ago

Duration 2:15

The provincial government and the national charity Hope Air have announced new funding that will offer more upfront support to people with a low or moderate income to give access to medical transportation in times of need. The CBC’s Andrea McGuire has more from Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

The province has committed almost $700,000 to the project, according to Dempster. 

The minister said it's great news for those in northern Labrador who typically have to avail of medical transportation. 

"We know that on a per-capita basis, the medical transportation assistance program is used eight times more often by Labradorians than folks who call the island portion of the province home," said Dempster. 

According to a news release from the Department of Labrador Affairs, Hope Air provided 2,137 medical travel arrangements for Newfoundland and Labrador residents last year.

PC MHA Lela Evans, who represents Torngat Mountains, says it's a good initiative on the surface, but she's concerned about the implications it may have.

"I fear that access to health care now has become politicised," Evans told CBC News.

Evans said the project won't solve any of the major barriers to health-care services Labradorians face, but will create a two-tier system in which the province is acting as a gatekeeper. 

Hope Air's application form asks several questions about sources of household income and additional financial support, but the government says those with a household income over $70,000 can still apply for assistance through MTAP. 

That doesn't ease Evans's worries. 

"That adds more questions than it provides solutions.… We're supposed to have universal health care," Evans said. "But when we look at Labrador, not so much."

Patients are eligible to apply for assistance through the Hope Air pilot program until March 31, 2026. 

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