Under the Repatriation Transport Scheme, we will pay for your travel by a taxi or hire car. Under this scheme, we will pay for your travel to and from your home to approved medical treatment. We call this the Booked Car with Driver (BCWD) Scheme.

Travel for treatment during COVID-19 pandemic

If you are required by your health professional to travel interstate to seek medical treatment and are subsequently subject to COVID-19 related quarantine/isolation costs, DVA may be able to assist with those costs. Please call 1800 550 455 for more information.

Who can receive BCWD

Under BCWD you may be eligible to travel to either:

• all treatment locations
• specific treatment locations

Veteran Card Holders under the VEA

You may be able to use the services if you have either a:

• Veteran Gold Card under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA)
• Veteran White Card and travel relates to an accepted service-related condition under VEA

Non-Liability Health Care treatment (NLHC)

You may be eligible if you are travelling to receive treatment under NLHC for any of the following conditions:

• malignant cancer (neoplasia)
• pulmonary tuberculosis
• any mental health condition
• substance use disorder
• alcohol use disorder

Treatment under other Acts

If we have accepted your conditions under the following Acts, we may be able to pay for your transport:

• the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA)
• the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA)
• the Australian Participants in British Nuclear Tests (Treatment) Act 2006

Please contact us to discuss your transport options.

Where we will take you

Veteran Gold Card holder

We can take you to all approved treatment locations if you are a Veteran Gold Card holder who is any of the following:

• aged 80 years of age or over
• legally blind (regardless of your age)
• suffering from dementia (regardless of your age)

Veteran White Card holder

We can take you to approved treatment locations if you are a Veteran White Card holder who is:

• travelling to receive treatment for your accepted service related condition or conditions

and you meet any of the following:

• aged 80 years of age or over
• legally blind (regardless of your age)
• suffering from dementia (regardless of your age)

Veteran Gold Card holder aged 79 years or younger

If you are a Veteran Gold Card holder aged 79 years or younger, we can take you attend treatment if you meet both of the following conditions:

• you are travelling to a specific treatment location
• you have 1 or more of the specific medical conditions

Veteran White Card holder aged 79 years or younger

If you are a Veteran White Card holder aged 79 years or younger, we can take you to attend treatment if you meet all the following conditions:

• you are travelling to receive treatment for your accepted service related condition or conditions
• you are travelling to a specific treatment location
• you have 1 or more of the specific medical conditions

The specific treatment locations

• former Repatriation General Hospitals
• public and private hospitals, including outpatient services
• providers of prosthetics; surgical footwear and orthotics
• Office of Hearing Services accredited providers
• medical specialist rooms
• radiology, imaging and pathology services

The specific medical conditions

• psychosis
• hemiplegia
• ataxia
• respiratory insufficiency severely limiting independent activity
• cardiac failure severely limiting independence
• recent coronary occlusion severely limiting independence
• peripheral vascular disease severely limiting independence
• amputation severely limiting independence
• arthritis severely limiting independence
• recent surgery severely affecting your capacity to use public transport
• conditions that would cause you to be gravely embarrassed or that are unacceptable to other passengers on public transport e.g. incontinence of bladder or bowel, severe deformity or disfigurement
• significant trauma or
• frailty that severely limits your independence

What you can receive

We may pay for a taxi or hire car provider to take you from your home to your closest practical provider (CPP).

If you live a long distance from your closest treatment provider, we may provide you with a prepaid flight or rail transport. This is only when it is clinically necessary and the most suitable and economical means of transport.

Contact us if you want to see a health provider who is not your CPP and who is more than 50km (one way) from your home. You may need to arrange your own transport and seek reimbursement from us. We will consider your CPP when we assess your claim.

Travel to specific treatment locations not covered under BCWD

Travel to specific treatment locations does not include:

• dental providers
• allied health services (other than those included)
• optical dispensers
• Open Arms — Veterans & Families Counselling

How much you pay

If we book your transport there will be no charge to you.

How to access booked transport

There are a few ways you can access booked transport:

• You can book transport online through MyAccount.
• If you have an authorised representative who has online access to your MyAccount, they can also book online.
• If your health provider is registered with our online services, they can request transport through their online account.
• You, your authorised representative, health provider or medically required attendant can call our transport booking service on 1800 550 455.

If you live a long distance from your treatment provider and you require long distance transport, please call us on 1800 550 455.

If you need travel after hours or on the weekend, arrange it with us during office hours, otherwise you will need to make your own arrangements and claim reimbursement from us.

Specific travel arrangements

• A medically required attendant can travel with you for booked transport. Tell us at the time of making the booking that you are travelling with an attendant.
• We can arrange a wheelchair-accessible vehicle if you tell us when you make your booking.