Arrange for a taxi or hire car

Last updated:

18 May 2021

Under the Booked Car with Driver Scheme (BCWD), we may arrange your travel by a taxi or hire car from your home to approved medical treatment delivered by the closest practical provider.
This is available under the Repatriation Transport Scheme.

If we cannot book your transport

If we cannot arrange your taxi or hire car under BCWD, we may be able to reimburse you for fares when travelling for treatment. The following pages have more information on transport reimbursement:

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.

Make a booking

To book transport you can either:
• book online using MyService
• call 1800 550 455.

If your health provider is registered with our online services, they can request transport through their online account.

Please note that bookings made online or through MyService outside of business hours may not be allocated to a taxi company until the next business day. Please refer to 'Booking after hours or weekend travel' below for alternative options to ensure your travel arrangements are in place.

Your authorised representative, health provider or medically required attendant can also call 1800 550 455 to make a booking on your behalf.
If you live a long distance from your treatment provider and you require long distance transport, please call us on 1800 550 455.

Booking after hours or weekend travel

If you need travel after hours or on the weekend, you must arrange it with us during office hours. If you do not, 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 when you make your booking that you are travelling with an attendant.
We can arrange a wheelchair-accessible vehicle if you tell us when you make your booking .

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:

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.

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