Member for Geraldton Kirrilee Warr MLA has questioned the State Government’s handling of concerns with the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS), saying extended wait times for reimbursement and a lack of action on expanding the scheme is having an effect in Geraldton.
Local residents have reported wait times of greater than 12 weeks for reimbursement, despite the typical wait time being 30 days according to the WA Country Health Service.
Ms Warr took to Parliament earlier this month, raising a grievance on the subject with the Health Minister.
She said the situation was frustrating for the community.
“Residents are telling me they can not afford to be out of pocket for months, especially when these medical appointments compound,” she said.
“In the cost-of-living crisis we are in where prices continue to rise, the delays for reimbursement are putting significant stress on families.
“Regional residents provide so much to the rest of the State, and they make significant sacrifices in some instances to access necessary healthcare, some of which would be routine for those living in Perth.
“We all recognise that PATS is not a full cost-recovery scheme, but when payments are delayed for months, it stops functioning as a support and starts to become a financial strain.”
Ms Warr said she had written to the Minister’s office on multiple occasions over this issue prior to raising the grievance.
She said the response did not properly address the concerns.
“The Minister said staffing concerns were the primary issue associated with the delays, but there was no guarantee or timeline of when these problems would be addressed,” she said.
“Residents in Geraldton and the Mid West deserve better, and should not be disadvantaged in terms of access to healthcare.”
Meanwhile, the State Budget indicated funding to expand PATS to include allied health, a policy taken by The Nationals WA to the State election.
Ms Warr said the delay was creating stress for families.
“We are getting queries to our office around what will and won’t be eligible under the proposal, but we are yet to get the detail,” she said.
“The Cook Labor Government has had more than 12 months to get this going, yet we are still facing delays.
“The Nationals WA will continue to look out for our communities and speak up to ensure their voices are heard.”
