90.4 Travel and/or accommodation costs reasonably required or incurred to attend a rehabilitation assessment or medical examination arranged by the MRCC

A person may be required to travel to attend an initial rehabilitation assessment or a subsequent assessment of the peron's capacity for rehabilitation or medical assessment arranged by a delegate of the Commission.  A medical assessment could be for the purposes of assessing liability, permanent impairment or some other purpose.  These assessments may result in the person being required to travel and/or stay in accommodation in order to attend that assessment.  In these instances compensation can be paid for costs reasonably required or incurred, under SRCA subsection 36(5) or subsection 57(3).

Subsections 36(6) and 57(4) provide some guidance in determining the amount reasonably required or incurred in making the journey.  In order for the amount to be determined as reasonable, the delegate may have regard to:

a) the means of transport available to the person; and

b) the length of the journey that the person needs to undertake; and

c) the range of accommodation available to the person at the location travelled to.

It is important to note that the travel for treatment provisions do not apply for reimbursement of reasonable costs associated with attending a rehabilitation assessment or medical examination required by the MRCC. However, DVA delegates may utilise the travel for treatment policy guidelines as a benchmark of what a reasonable cost may be. It is important to note that there is no mandated kilometre rate associated with travel to attend a rehabilitation assessment or medical examination required by the MRCC. 

As a general principle, it would be reasonable for clients to self-fund any travel that was less than a 50km round trip to attend a rehabilitation assessment. However, individual circumstances must always be taken into account, and a client centric approach utilised, with delegates being mindful of not creating barriers barriers to a person attending a rehabilitation assessment or participating in any subsequent rehabilitation activities.