FNHA Medical Transportation Bulletin
July 2024

Welcome! Wytkp! Gilakas’la! Shhweenustham!

We hope you enjoyed the June issue of the Journeys bulletin. Thank you for your readership as we strive to provide helpful content and updates for your community's Medical Transportation (MT) program. The First Nations Health Benefits and Services (FNHBS) team appreciates your partnership in delivering and transforming the MT benefit.

Watch our YouTube video here to learn more about the MT transformation journey. 

Improve community transit with the TMB program!

The FNHA wants to raise awareness about the Transit Minor Betterments (TMB) program at the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI). The TMB program aims to enhance transit services in communities across BC by providing up to $100,000 towards eligible projects. Eligible applicants include First Nations communities, organizations that partner with First Nations governments and local governments.

As outlined in the application form, applications for the TMB program can be submitted any time within the fiscal year. Successful applicants, however, must complete eligible projects within the fiscal year of approval. Projects not completed within the fiscal year of approval are not eligible for reimbursement.

You can access the updated application form here. This form includes information on eligibility and selection criteria. Please be sure to review it thoroughly before submitting your application.

Unfortunately, we are unable to assist in writing the application itself, but if you have questions, you may contact us at mtproject@fnha.ca  and we will do our best to support you.

Kucén: Transforming MT benefit administration

Patient Travel (PT) clerks can now experience enhanced benefit administration with Kucén (pronounced koo-hen), meaning "to wander/travel far away/abroad" in Secwepemctsin.

Recent system updates:

The MT project team is actively gathering feedback from existing users to enhance the overall Kucén experience. Recent system updates include the ability to electronically submit Exception requests within Kucén and automate emails for Clients with trip status, itinerary and all necessary documentation attached.

In June 2024, a brand new feature was added, which includes information pop-ups to assist PT Clerks with relevant policies and information when arranging a trip. These navigation supports now appear in several places across the application, answering frequently asked questions to support consistency among all MT benefit administrators.

To minimize the impact of onboarding, the MT project team has established a three-step streamlined process with full support throughout:
 

If your community is interested in adopting the new system, please participate in our Kucén survey or contact us at mtproject@fnha.ca.

Kucén supports provided by FNHA:

• 24/7 access to the application 
• User guides & training   
• Business hours support desk
• Account management

Simplify bookings with standing accounts

In last month's edition of Journeys, we discussed the issues high hotel rates can pose, especially in Vancouver during the summer months. Setting up standing accounts with various accommodation providers can help navigate these challenges.

What are standing accounts? 

Standing accounts are a type of credit arrangement that makes it easier to make bookings. With standing accounts, you can set up direct billing with hotels, taxi companies, airlines and other travel services. This means that the costs get billed directly to your account instead of paying each time a booking is made. This arrangement simplifies travel planning and administration, saving you valuable time and effort.

What are the benefits of having a standing account?

• With a standing account, you can make fast accommodation bookings. Your contact information and payment details are already registered, streamlining the booking process.
• Standing accounts offer streamlined check-ins for Clients, so there is no need to provide a credit card upon check-in. This simplifies the process and makes it more convenient for Clients on medical travel.
• Standing accounts give you quick access to a broader range of options, ensuring you can always secure a room for your Clients. For example, setting up a standing account with one hotel often allows you to make bookings on your account at any of their locations throughout BC.

How do I set up a standing account?

To set up a standing account, you will need to contact the service provider (e.g., the hotel) directly. The provider will guide you through the necessary steps and ask for details such as your contact and billing information. This process is typically quick and straightforward. If you have any questions, please contact MT Operations at 1-855-550-5454 for guidance and recommendations.

Changes to mental health travel

As a reminder, changes to the FNHA Mental Health Benefits And Services (FNHBS) took effect on April 15, 2024. Going forward, FNHBS will serve Clients under one Mental Wellness and Counselling program. As a result, PT Clerks may notice an increase in the number of travel requests related to mental health. Please refer to Section 5 of your MT Administrator Guide for detailed information on assessing travel requests.

Please visit the news post or the Mental Wellness and Counselling Frequently Asked Questions for further details on the above policy changes.

Reminder: April 1, 2024 MT Benefit enhancements

Thanks to the ongoing community engagement supported by the MT Transformation Project, we've gained invaluable insights into Clients' needs related to Medical Transportation. In response, FNHBS introduced significant changes to MT Benefits on April 1, 2024, including:

• Enhanced escort coverage;
• Increase in private accommodation coverage;
• Introduction of hospital parking supports; and
• Updates to mileage rates.

Please visit our news post here for further details on the above policy changes. We also encourage you to share the news post with all community members to ensure they are informed about the recent updates!

The MT Administrator Guide

We have renamed the MT User Guide to the MT Administrator Guide, which now incorporates all the latest updates to MT Benefits, including changes to mental health travel. For an updated copy, please reach out to MT Operations at transportation@fnha.ca or call 1-855-550-5454.

MT training for PT clerks

The MT Operations team hosts regular training sessions throughout the year. If you or any member of your community would like to attend an MT training session, please contact transportation@fnha.ca to sign up. One of our team members will be in touch about training dates and next steps.

Thank you