FNHA Medical Transportation Bulletin
March 2025

Welcome! Wytkp! Gilakas’la! Shhweenustham!

We hope you enjoyed the February issue of the Journeys bulletin.

Journeys is now in its fourth year! Thank you for your readership and support as we strive to provide helpful content and updates to support your community’s Medical Transportation (MT) Benefits. We appreciate your partnership in delivering and transforming the MT Benefit.

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

MT mileage rate changes effective April 1, 2025

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is committed to improving the quality and accessibility of our programs and services while ensuring they meet the needs of our Clients. We actively monitor gas prices across BC to ensure that changes do not impact Clients' ability to access medically necessary appointments when using their private vehicles. 

In response to the current economic environment, we are applying a permanent $0.04/km increase. As a result, the standard mileage rate is increasing from $0.25/km to $0.29/km, and the special mileage rate for remote communities is increasing from $0.31/km to $0.35/km. A full history of MT mileage rate changes can be found here​.

As of April 1, 2025, the permanent mileage rates will be as follows:

*for remote communities, as specified in their Funding Agreements.

Mileage rate breakdown

The standard rate of $0.29/km is based on a fuel price of $2.20/L, using a typical large vehicle like a 10-year-old Ford F150, which consumes about 13.2 litres per 100 kilometres. The higher rate of $0.31/km reflects fuel costs of approximately $2.35/L for the same type of vehicle. Clients can check their own vehicle’s fuel efficiency using the NRC’s Fuel Consumption Tool. 

Funding opportunities for community transit projects

FNHA is raising awareness and encouraging communities to apply for the Rural Transit Solutions Fund, managed by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada. This fund supports the development and expansion of locally driven transit solutions for residents of rural, remote, Indigenous, and Northern communities. It covers a wide range of public transit models, including both fixed-route and on-demand services.

Eligible organizations representing these communities can seek support through two program streams depending on the nature of their project:

• Planning and Design Projects Stream: Grants of up to $50,000 are available to support communities in planning and designing new or expanded transit solutions.
• Capital Projects Stream: Eligible applicants can receive up to $10 million in contributions for tangible capital assets primarily for public use, such as purchasing vehicles and building supporting infrastructure.

The Capital Projects Stream is now accepting applications. The deadline for Indigenous applicant submissions is Tuesday, April 8, 2025, by 3:00 p.m. EST.

Reminder: December 2024 MT Benefit changes

FNHA is committed to ensuring Clients can access essential health and wellness support as part of their healing journeys. As a reminder, key updates to the MT Benefit were implemented on December 2, 2024:

• Expanded coverage: Travel is now supported for FNHA-funded trauma and recovery programs, including Tsow-Tun-Le-Lum, Kackaamin, Round Lake, and Esk’etemc Recovery House. Additionally, travel to the Orca Lelum Youth Treatment Centre is now covered under the FNHA-funded substance use treatment centre policy.
• Meal rate adjustments: Meal rates have been updated to reflect rising food costs and ensure Clients have access to healthy meals while receiving medical care.
• Updated resources: The MT Benefits Schedule and MT Administrator Guide have been revised to reflect these changes. The Kucén system has also been updated to streamline meal rate calculations.

For full details, including the updated rates and eligibility, please visit our MT Benefits webpage or check for updates on the Health Benefits News page. For an updated copy of the MT Administrator Guide, contact MT Operations at transportation@fnha.ca

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.

To help interested communities successfully adopt the Kucén system, the MT project team has created a streamlined three-step onboarding process. This tailored approach ensures a smooth transition by offering personalized guidance and dedicated support at every stage, from initial planning to full implementation, empowering each community to thrive with confidence.

About Kucén:

• No cost to communities and organizations.
• Automates MT log submissions and MT reports to FNHB.
• Provides a searchable directory for medical and travel providers.
• Generates purchase orders, confirmation of attendance slips and more!
• Easily submit exceptions directly through the application with no manual forms needed.
• Ability to look up a trip that has already been booked. 

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

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 contact you about training dates and next steps.

Thank you