2. Learn how much ODSP will pay

The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) will help pay for travelling to get medical treatment only if your costs are more than $15 in a month.

Travel costs

You have to travel in the cheapest way that your doctor or other health care professional says that you can.

ODSP can pay:

• your mileage costs when you travel by car at a rate of 40 cents a kilometre, or 41 cents if you live in parts of Northern Ontario
• parking, if you have receipts
• bus fare or other public transit, either the total of the return trips in a month or the cost of a monthly transit pass, whichever is cheaper
• train tickets
• taxi fare, not including time that a taxi spends waiting for you, unless that's cheaper than getting another taxi to take you home
• travel by ambulance

Travelling away from home

If you have to travel away from home to get treatment by a regulated health professional, ODSP can also pay for meals and a place to stay.

You might be able to get a Northern Health Travel Grant if:

• you live in northern Ontario
• you have to travel more than 100 kilometres for treatment

ODSP can say that you must apply for the grant, if they think you might qualify.

If you get a Northern Health Travel Grant for travel costs that ODSP paid for, you'll have to pay ODSP back.

ODSP can pay for you to travel to Manitoba or Quebec, if you live near the border.

But ODSP won't pay for you to travel outside of Canada, unless the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) agrees to pay for the treatment.

Meals and overnight stays

There are limits on what ODSP pays for meals. For example, as of June 2017, they pay up to:

• $5 for breakfast
• $8 for lunch
• $15 for dinner

ODSP rules say that you must stay in the cheapest place that's suitable for you. Talk to your ODSP worker if you have questions about what this means.

If you need help to travel

ODSP can pay for someone to come with you, if your doctor or other health professional says you can't travel on your own.