Frequently asked questions
How will my eligibility be assessed?
Your local PATS office, with input from the WACHS Regional Medical Director when required, will assess your PATS application against current PATS policy and eligibility criteria to determine your eligibility.
The information you provide will be used to decide your eligibility.
I don't quite fit the eligibility criteria for PATS but I still need financial assistance, what should I do?
If you are not eligible for PATS but you still meet the intent of the scheme – that is, you are a country resident who needs to travel for specialist treatment – you may have your application considered by an exceptional management process.
Talk to your local PATS office or go to PATS processes explained.
Are non-WA regional residents eligible for PATS?
No. Only permanent WA regional residents are eligible for PATS. You must have a permanent WA regional residential address.
If you do not have a permanent WA regional residence and are travelling for business or holidays (including FIFO workers and grey nomads) you are not eligible for PATS.
Go to PATS eligibility.
Is PATS means tested?
No. PATS subsidies are available to all eligible recipients.
I'm seeing a private specialist. Am I eligible for PATS assistance?
Yes. There is no distinction between public and private specialists for the purposes of PATS. You just need to be going to the closest available specialist service.
Sometimes the closest available service is a private specialist.
Go to Eligible specialist medical services.
I want to travel to a different specialist that is further away. Will PATS assist me?
No. PATS only provides a subsidy for travel to the nearest medical specialist.
Can I travel to see a specialist if there is a similar specialist I can see locally through telehealth?
No. If the specialty you need is available and appropriate to be delivered through telehealth, you are only eligible for a PATS subsidy if you have to travel more than 100km to get to the telehealth appointment.
I've been seeing my specialist for years, but now there is a specialist travelling closer to home. Can I still see my original specialist?
No. You can’t get PATS assistance to travel to your original specialist if there is a closer one, unless there are clinical reasons for you to do so.
Can I get PATS assistance for a second opinion?
Only if the first specialist you see refers you, or there is a clinical reason.
Are PATS subsidy payments capped at a certain dollar amount per person or per year?
No. There are no limits to PATS subsidy payments. Eligible recipients will receive subsidies as per current PATS policy and eligibility criteria for as long as medically needed. Recipients undergoing long-term treatment may be asked to give updated information.
Can I receive financial help from other sources as well as PATS?
No. If you are eligible to receive financial help for travel and accommodation to access medical specialist services from other sources, such as Department of Veterans’ Affairs, workers compensation or other insurance you are not eligible for a PATS subsidy.
Am I eligible for PATS accommodation subsidies after I get out of hospital or after I've been taken to hospital in an emergency?
Yes, but only if:
- You are returning by air travel and you are unable to fly until the medical clearance to fly is provided by the treating medical practitioner. (Note, airlines have guidelines on the period of time a person should not travel by air after serious illness, injury, surgery or hospitalisation. You should check with your doctor that they are satisfied for you to undertake air travel).
- Transport schedules do not permit immediate transport home on the day of discharge. This only applies where the earliest available transport of the approved type is utilised.
- You have to remain overnight while in transit (for example, when you are waiting transfer back to a remote community).
- You are required to return to the specialist for a follow-up appointment within a short period after discharge from hospital.
Go to PATS processes explained.
Does the recipient’s support person have to be the same person each trip?
No, recipients do not have to travel with the same support person each trip. So long as the recipient’s need for a support person meets the eligibility criteria, approved recipients can have a different support person for each trip. Your support person must be capable of providing the support that you require during your trip.
Am I able to travel with someone if I haven’t been approved for a support person?
Yes, but this person will not receive a PATS subsidy payment. Eligible recipients will still receive their approved subsidies.
Does PATS only cover travel from the town centre?
Yes, distance is worked out using the most direct or common route from the nearest town centre to your permanent residence and the commercial business district (CBD) of the treatment centre you are travelling to. For travel to the Perth metropolitan area, this is the Perth CBD, regardless of which suburb your appointment is in.
If you live a long way from your nearest town centre, talk to your local PATS office and they may add the extra kilometres (the distance between your home and the town centre) to your claim.
Does the travel subsidy include travel to and from transport terminals?
No, the cost of travelling to and from transport terminals is not covered by PATS.
Will PATS pay for taxi vouchers?
No. They may be provided in limited and exceptional circumstances, such as if a person is using a wheelchair, is blind or has severe vision impairment, or has an intellectual disability. PATS staff will consider such requests on a case-by-case basis.
Talk to your local PATS office to see if you are eligible for this.
How is the approved mode of transport determined?
The mode of transport is assessed against the information provided in the PATS application and current PATS policy and eligibility criteria.
The mode of transport is determined by the most clinically appropriate and cost-effective mode of transport available. Modes of transport can include private motor vehicle (driving), bus, train, ferry or airplane. In some cases, the approved mode of transport may be different for the forward and return journeys.
Application assessments will consider the individual circumstances of the recipient when determining the approved mode of transport for the travel subsidy. Advice from clinicians, allied health professionals, social workers and liaison officers, will be considered when assessing the recipient’s application.
Will I receive a travel subsidy if I use a mode of transport different from what was approved?
If you choose a mode of transport different from what was approved, you are eligible to receive the travel subsidy equivalent to the approved mode of transport.
What is a specialist medical service?
A medical service provided by a medical practitioner who is registered with Medicare Australia as a specialist in a particular specialty.
Go to Eligible specialist medical services.
Are all health treatments covered?
No. PATS helps give you access to specialist medical services only.
Go to Eligible specialist medical services.
Are skin cancer clinics covered?
In some instances.
If you are referred by a doctor to a dermatologist at a skin cancer clinic, you are eligible for PATS.
If you are seeing a general practitioner, even one with a special interest in skin cancer, you are not eligible for PATS.
How long is my PATS application form valid?
Each PATS application and claim is assessed separately. Therefore, they do not expire. A separate application and claim must be submitted for each trip.
Can I apply for PATS for an appointment outside of Western Australia?
If the nearest medical specialist medical service available is in another state, you may be eligible for PATS. This mainly affects the Kimberley and Goldfields regions where the closest specialist may be in Darwin or Alice Springs.
If the service is not available in WA, you may be eligible for the Interstate Patient Travel Scheme (IPTS).
Go to PATS Contacts.
What happens if I miss my travel or accommodation booking?
It is your responsibility to advise your local PATS office of any changes to travel plans or appointment details. If adequate notice (i.e. within 24 hours) is not provided and/or the recipient misses their travel/accommodation booking without good reason, future subsidies may be affected.