Cancer treatment very often requires patients to travel to another city, state, or even country. Unfortunately, not every patient qualifies for a referral for medical transport. Travel and accommodation costs are what are known as the hidden costs of treatment. We’ll show you how to finance treatment in another city or country.
Medical treatment hundreds of miles from home – how do you arrange transportation to the hospital?
When it comes to a fight for health or life, the distance from the Oncology Center is irrelevant. However, this does not mean that transporting a patient to a medical facility cannot involve certain difficulties. Fuel costs, taxi fares, public transportation fares, or international airfare are hidden costs of treatment that can amount to thousands of zlotys. Not everyone is also able to drive a car or use public transportation on their own. In such cases, the costs of travel for cancer treatment also include a caregiver or companion for the patient.
Check out: How to help people with cancer.
How do I arrange transportation to the hospital?
The transport of cancer patients is very often discussed in the context of transport reimbursed by the National Health Fund. However, it is important to remember that medical transport and emergency medical transport are two different terms.
Who is eligible for medical transport? Medical transport refers to the transport of a patient at the request of a doctor; it is available to patients in serious condition who require supervision by medical staff during the journey (e.g., patients who have suffered a heart attack). Medical transport refers to transportation between medical facilities or between home and a medical facility, also provided at the request of the attending physician. This service is available to individuals who cannot use public transportation on their own but whose lives are not in immediate danger.
Does the National Health Fund cover the cost of patient transport?
Patient transport may be fully covered, partially covered, or fully paid for—this is determined by a doctor based on an assessment of the patient’s health condition. Free transport is available to patients who have a mobility impairment and cannot use public transportation, and who need to urgently begin or continue treatment. Partially subsidized medical transport is available to individuals who require assistance from another person when using public transportation and suffer from conditions specified in the health care benefits regulations (the National Health Fund covers 40% of the fare). Paid transport refers to transport without mobility restrictions on the patient, based on considerations of convenience when the patient is traveling to the facility.
In practice, most cancer patients have to arrange their own transportation to the facility for tests, treatments, procedures, or rehabilitation.
Find out: how much cancer treatment costs.
Commuting to the hospital during cancer treatment and staying overnight at the clinic
Patient transport often involves another hidden cost of cancer treatment—specifically, the expense of lodging. A patient who, for example, is transported for chemotherapy or radiation therapy but does not require hospitalization may be referred to stay at a lodging facility near the hospital for the duration of their treatment. However, their caregiver does not always receive similar support. It also happens that cancer treatment requires the entire family to temporarily relocate and rent a short-term apartment near the Cancer Center. These are additional costs that can amount to several thousand zlotys per month. How can you finance accommodation near the clinic for yourself or your loved ones? A cancer treatment fundraiser comes to the rescue. Many patients are unaware that the fundraising budget can cover not only the costs of diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation, but also the aforementioned hidden costs of therapy.
Check out: What can the funds raised be used for?
Is it okay to collect money for lodging near the hospital?
Yes, a fundraiser for cancer treatment can include funds for lodging near the hospital and patient transportation. Donations provide the patient and their family with a financial safety net during treatment, especially when therapy is taking place far from home. The support and presence of family significantly impact the patient’s mental well-being. Thanks to the funds raised, treatment can proceed without fear of financial strain or separation from loved ones.
When setting up a fundraiser for medical treatment, remember to be transparent. When describing the purpose of the fundraiser, specify exactly what the funds will be used for, such as non-reimbursable medical treatment, travel and lodging, oncology psychotherapy, or the purchase of rehabilitation equipment.
At Cancer Fighters, we support the foundation’s beneficiaries in a way that ensures the assistance provided to cancer patients meets their current needs. And these needs can change depending on the stage of treatment and the severity of the disease. Remember that every fundraiser can be updated, and honest communication with donors is the foundation of raising funds for treatment. If you need help with a fundraiser, advice related to receiving a cancer diagnosis, or are looking for a foundation to help a loved one, please contact us. We provide support to children and adults with cancer.
Bibliography
- Medical transport, gov.pl, accessed June 1, 2026.
- Patient Guide: Medical Transportation Under the National Health Fund—When and Who Is Eligible?, nfz.gov.pl, accessed June 1, 2026.
- ORDER No. 70/2021/DSOZ OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH FUND dated April 15, 2021, regarding the terms and conditions of contracts for the provision of comprehensive oncology services.
