Travel to Artificial Limb Centres

WORK & INCOME

Reimbursement for travel and/or accommodation is available from Work & Income for all Ministry of Health amputees who are required to attend a Limb Centre (ACC clients are catered for separately - see below). This assistance is to ensure that people are not prevented from attending a Limb Centre to have an artificial limb adjusted or repaired because they are unable to meet the cost of travel and accommodation. It applies equally to amputees or people who were born without a limb. This assessment is not subject to an income or asset test.

What you can claim
  • You can claim for travel in a private car either by mileage or petrol costs if a receipt is produced (but this should not be more than mileage). The amount paid per kilometre depends on the cc rating of the vehicle.
  • You can claim for travel by public transport to and from the Limb Centre.
  • You can claim for the cost of travelling by taxi to a Limb Centre where a receipt is produced and you are not physically able to use public transport. Note that when a mobility taxi is used and you have received a 50% reduction in fare, only the remaining 50% is reimbursed.
  • You may claim for the cost of air travel where there is written evidence that this is the most appropriate form of travel (such as a letter from an orthopaedic surgeon or Manager of the Limb Centre).
  • You can claim for accommodation costs if your appointment time or the distance travelled means that an overnight stay is necessary. The actual cost of accommodation or $100, whichever is the lower, may be paid. Accommodation and meal costs incurred will not be paid for more than ten days per assessment. You can be paid for the cost of each meal required during travel times and overnight stays when attending a Limb Centre. The actual cost of the meal or $13.05, whichever is the lower, may be paid. If applying for assistance in advance, you must provide confirmation of the accommodation booking and details of the cost.
  • Assistance can be granted to cover the costs of one attendant if the person travelling to the Limb Centre is a child aged under 15 years or medical evidence is provided stating that the person cannot travel by themselves. The loss of earnings of an attendant cannot be reimbursed.
  • Payment for loss of earnings may be made only where you do not have any sick leave available. You must provide a letter from your employer confirming you have no sick leave available and stating the wages (net) lost. Reimbursement must not be more than the current rate paid for ordinary time weekly wage. Overtime or penal rates cannot be reimbursed.
How to apply
For payment before your appointment, you must provide
  •     confirmation of your appointment date and time at the Limb Centre; and
  •     quotes or estimates; and
  •     confirmation of any loss of earnings from your employer if you don't have sick leave available.
Work & Income can grant you the financial assistance you're entitled to from the date you first contact them if you complete your application within 20 working days of that date.
You can apply to have your costs reimbursed if the amount you were paid in advance did not meet all your costs, or you chose not to be paid before your appointment. You need to:
  •     claim your costs within six months of attendance at the Limb Centre; and
  •     provide proof of your attendance at the Limb Centre; and
  •     provide receipts of your costs; and
  •     provide confirmation of any loss of earnings from your employer if you don't have sick leave available.

ACC

ACC assists amputees with travel if they travel more than 20 kilometres (one way per trip) within 14 days of injury, travel more than 80 kilometres within any calendar month, or spend more than $45 on scheduled surface public or other transport within any calendar month.

Services for which ACC can help with travel costs include treatment, rehabilitation assessment or reassessment, obtaining or having fitted an aid or appliance (e.g. artificial limb), training for independence programmes, ACC approved inpatient, residential or outpatient rehabilitation programmes, ACC agreed vocational rehabilitation services, courses or programmes, or transport for maintaining pre-incapacity employment. They only pay for the distance to the nearest place where you can get rehabilitation. However, if you are travelling to receive counselling, they may pay for the distance to the nearest appropriate counsellor.

If you meet these criteria above, they pay the actual scheduled surface public transport fare or 28 cents per kilometre. They also help towards the return fare, providing you return to where you started.
You need to fill in a transport and accommodation claim form (ACC 250) and have this signed by each rehabilitation provider you visit. You must enclose your ticket or the transport provider’s receipt when scheduled public or other non-private transport is used. ACC will pay their contribution into your bank account.
 
ACC may be able to help with your accommodation costs if there is no transport available to get you home after your rehabilitation service. They can contribute $56.30 per night.

ACC may pay for air transport if that is the only way you can travel because of the nature of your injury, or you have to travel a long distance from where you live to the nearest place of rehabilitation, and this is the most cost-effective way of reaching your provider.

 
If ACC gives prior approval, they may be able to pay the actual cost of other transport to rehabilitation, such as taxi or non-scheduled shuttle, to get to your nearest place of rehabilitation.
 
When you need an attendant to travel with you, ACC can help pay travel costs for that person if you are under 18, or your medical condition requires that you travel with an escort, or the transport provider requires you to have an escort. If you share private transport with your escort, ACC will only pay the private transport rate for one person.

 

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