Qualicum Beach’s KD Air, in conjunction with the Province of B.C., is offering subsidized flight tickets for eligible residents who need to travel within the province for non-emergency medical appointments.
The province’s Travel Assistance Program (TAP) is a corporate partnership between the Ministry of Health and private transportation carriers. Those eligible can receive up to 30 per cent off their ticket price.
To be eligible for TAP, patients 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 MSP insured specialist medical services which are not available locally and travel expenses must not be covered by third party insurance, such as an employer plan, extended medical plan.
Eligible medical specialist services include, non-emergency medical specialist services available at the closest location outside the patient’s community, 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.
“We understand that usually when people need to get to a doctor’s appointment, it usually correlates with them not being able to have full-time employment due to their illness or injury, so having a full fare ticket isn’t always the most cost effective option for them,” said Brigitte La Rochelle, ticket team lead and safety officer with KD Air.
“People can receive 30 per cent off on a non-refundable ticket…that takes the fare as low as $83, that’s a pretty fair amount.”
La Rochelle said KD Air also offers discounts on refundable tickets.
The TAP forms are available for 90 days after the doctor’s appointment and can be provided from a physician, nurse or specialty clinic, who will complete the majority of the application.