Disability pensioner Warwick McDonald has to choose between groceries or his regular trip from Blackwater in outback Queensland to Brisbane for life-sustaining medical treatment.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, for those travelling to access life-saving medical treatments, it's making a tough time tougher.
The patient travel subsidy scheme (PTSS) provides financial assistance for patients in regional areas to access health services they can not get in their own towns.
The current Labor government has not increased the rebates available to patients since it has been in power in Queensland.
Since 2012 petrol reimbursements have remained at 30 cents per kilometre and accommodation at $60 per night.
But with accommodation, food, fuel and taxis all going up in price, this is what living on the PTSS is like.
Warwick McDonald, Blackwater
Back in Blackwater, Warwick McDonald says he makes do with the barest food supplies when he has to travel the 1,900km round trip to Brisbane for treatment after having three minor strokes and a brain aneurysm.
"Looking at very cheap food. Cans of soup, packets of noodles, bread — that's basically my fortnightly food if I have appointments in Brisbane," he said.
"Normally, I'll spend $300/350 per fortnight on food, but if I have appointments in Brisbane, that means basically, I'm down to about $50.
"Mostly it comes down to whether to get treatment or eat."
He said he had lost 10 kilograms of weight in the last six months as a result of the financial pressure of his treatment.
Mr McDonald said his main concern was accommodation costs, which had been as much as $249 per night when sporting events were on.
"I have found slightly cheaper accommodation, which can cost anything up to $179 per night, which I get $60 of that back," he said.
"I feel $60 a night doesn't quite cover and can put a lot of people in financial hardship."
Whilst the financial pressures have taken a toll, he said without the PTSS, his treatment would have been out of reach.
"My last flight from Brisbane to Emerald, the flight was $458. If I had to pay that out of my own pocket, I wouldn't be able to get to Brisbane to have the treatment done," he said.
Grant Bunter, Ilfracombe
Grant Bunter was diagnosed with liver cancer in May last year and was put under the care of the liver team at the Royal Brisbane Hospital in Brisbane, more than 1,100 kilometres from home.
The PTSS covers his flights, but he estimates it has cost him $12,000 in other expenses, but he has a bigger challenge ahead of him — waiting to go on the liver transplant list.
"Then I'm required to move to Brisbane, and basically, I have to pack up enough stuff to live a life in Brisbane until the liver becomes available for me that's suitable," he said.
"The problem with that is that's an open-ended question. How long is that? No-one knows.
"It could be months, it could be a year, it could be a couple of years, and that will mean that every on a week-by-week basis, I'll have an out-of-pocket expense that's otherwise not covered by PTSS."
He said, continuing to "sticking your hand in a pocket" was an extra burden on him and his wife.
"We should be able to concentrate on me getting better, not worrying about what it's costing us," he said.
Mr Bunter said he felt grateful he had the money but would still like equity for regional patients.
"My immediate thought is, what do those people do who don't have the money, they'd be in a much worse situation than myself, but if the call is about fairness and equity, then it doesn't exist," he said.
"It can be quite stressful. I've been pretty fortunate so far, I'm still pretty chin up, but it takes its toll on a lot of people, and I see that."
Michelle Cuthbertson, Gladstone
Michelle Cuthbertson has been travelling from Gladstone to Brisbane since her 16-year-old daughter was a toddler.
"My daughter has a rare neurological disease called Rett syndrome, so all the specialists are in Brisbane. I think she has 12 specialists at the moment that we see," she said.
"It's a huge choice, but you do it because they're your children and that's where they need to be so yeah, but it's definitely stressful."
"Unfortunately, living regionally, you don't have access to those specialists here [so] I guess you're left with no choice."
They can stay at Ronald McDonald House, and their main expense is taxis to and from the airport.
But at 16 years old, her daughter will soon be categorised as an adult, which means accommodation and other expenses such as a hoist and shower chair when visiting Brisbane.
She said the increased cost of living was biting for other families in a similar position, forced to travel for treatment.
"It's better than nothing but I guess with everything going up that maybe needs to have a review to see if there's more added to that to help families," she said.
A Queensland Health spokesperson said funding for the PTSS increased from $94.8 million in 2021-22 to $97.2 million in 2022-23 to accommodate the increase in people accessing the scheme.
However, the response did not answer whether the rising cost of living was affecting those already on the scheme or if there were plans to review the available rebates.
"The PTSS is one of multiple strategies in place to deliver healthcare to regional, rural and remote communities," the statement said.
