Accessing specialist healthcare when you live in regional NSW often means long rives, overnight stays and real out-of-pocket costs.

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke is calling on the NSW Government to urgently improve the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTASS), saying the current system is no longer keeping up with the realities faced by rural patients.

"The Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) helps cover travel and accommodation costs for patients who need to leave their community to access specialist care not available locally," Ms Cooke said.

"But right now, it’s not keeping up with reality."

Under the IPTAAS patients are only reimbursed 40 cents per kilometre, must travel more than 100km one-way to qualify and accommodation subsidies fall well short of actual costs.

"That means people in communities like Narrandera, Temora and Cootamundra are missing out on support - if required to travel to Wagga Wagga for essential care."

Although patients from Grenfell do fall under the requirements for the IPTAAS with the town centre 189km from Wagga Wagga and 132km from Orange, the nearest large health services, Ms Cooke is also calling for the government to step up and deliver real improvements to the IPTAAS.

"No one should delay or avoid treatment because they can't afford the trip," Ms Cooke added.

Ms Cooke is calling on the NSW Government to increase the travel subsidy rate to reflect rising fuel costs, reduce the 100km eligibility threshold so more patients can access support, expand the scheme to cover life-saving screening and early detection and increase accommodation subsidies to match the real cost of staying near treatment.

"Early detection saves lives. Access to care shouldn't depend on your postcode.

"We need practical, targeted support that recognises the realities of living in regional NSW," Ms Cooke added.