Leukaemia Foundation scorecard exposes gaps in patient travel support across states

The Leukaemia Foundation released a national scorecard today benchmarking patient travel schemes against Australian Taxation Office estimates of real accommodation and private-vehicle costs, finding support varies sharply across states and territories.

Current accommodation subsidies range from $49.50 per night in Victoria to $110 in South Australia. All but South Australia fail to cover a reasonable portion of actual costs of staying near specialist treatment centres in capital cities.

South Australia ranked first on the scorecard with an overall score of 95.3, followed by Western Australia at 87.5 and Tasmania at 79.2. Victoria ranked last at 41.3, behind the ACT at 47.4 and Queensland at 62.3.

Each state was scored out of 100 based on how well its travel scheme covers real costs of accommodation and private vehicle travel. Accommodation counts for 80 per cent of the score and vehicle travel 20 per cent.

Leukaemia Foundation Chief Executive Officer Chris Tanti said the findings show patients are being left to absorb unacceptable costs simply because treatment is not available close to home. "For people in regional, rural and remote communities, travel is not optional – it is often the only way to access specialist cancer care," Mr Tanti said.

"Yet assistance across Australia is inconsistent and, in too many places, has failed to keep pace with the real cost of fuel, vehicle use, accommodation and everyday living."

Cancer treatment can involve months and sometimes years of travel, accommodation and time away from work. The financial burden compounds quickly, particularly when families are already managing lost income and other costs associated with cancer, Mr Tanti said.

The Leukaemia Foundation recommends accommodation support should cover at least 70 per cent of the real cost of staying near treatment. Patients driving hundreds of kilometres for treatment should be reimbursed at least 45 cents per kilometre to cover a reasonable portion of expenses – about half of what the ATO says it costs to run a car.

Mr Tanti said these rates cannot be set and forgotten. "We're calling for annual indexation, so support keeps pace with real costs instead of quietly falling behind, year after year."

The foundation is urging every state and territory government to review and strengthen their patient travel assistance schemes. "Where a person lives, and how much money they have in the bank, should never determine whether they can reach life-saving cancer treatment," Mr Tanti said.