Get paid to go to your VA appointment?
By Jason Strickland, Chief Communications officer, VISN19
My first car was a 1967 Ford Galaxy 500. It was older than I was when I drove it in high school in northern California in the late ‘80s. And, yes, I once hit triple digits on the speedometer while racing down Interstate 680 near Oakland.
But those days are long gone. My mantra is no longer “a need for speed.” Now, I’m just happy to get safely from point A to point B with minimal road rage.
For those of you who drive your own vehicle – whether it’s a Tesla or a Buick or a hooptie – or use public transportation to get to your VA appointments, let me tell you about VA’s travel reimbursement program.
VA reimburses eligible Veterans and caregivers for travel costs, including mileage, tolls, parking and authorized hotel stays for health care appointments. Filing a travel claim online is the fastest way to receive reimbursement.
Let’s look at a few specifics of the program.
Who’s eligible for travel benefits?
VA offers travel benefits under the Beneficiary Travel Program: Mileage and Common Carrier reimbursement and special mode transportation to any VA authorized appointment. You may be eligible if you:
- Have a service-connected rating of 30% or more.
- Are traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition.
- Receive a VA pension, or your income does not exceed the maximum annual VA pension.
- Are traveling for a scheduled compensation or pension exam.
- Have vision impairment, spinal cord injury or disorder, double or multiple amputation, enrollment in VA rehabilitation programs.
Eligible Veterans and Caregivers must submit reimbursement travel claims within 30 days of their VA-Authorized appointment. Certain travel reimbursement claims may be subject to a deductible.
Caregivers are also eligible for travel benefits when they are traveling with a Veteran who qualifies for the Beneficiary Travel Program.
There are a few other eligible groups. If you have questions about your eligibility, reach out to your facility’s or call VA’s Beneficiary Travel toll-free call center at 855-574-7292. Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
What types of travel can VA provide or reimburse?
VA can reimburse eligible persons for mileage driven in a personal vehicle at a rate of .415 cents per mile.Transportation by a rideshare or public transportation, like a bus, taxi, or plane may also be reimbursed if pre-authorized. In addition, when medically justified by a VA health care provider, a special mode of transportation, such as an ambulance or wheelchair van, may be approved for Veterans who are eligible for beneficiary travel.
What is the best way to get paid back?
File a claim using the VA Health and Benefits App or VA.gov.. Combining electronic filing with direct deposit is the fastest way to get your beneficiary travel payment. Veterans still have the ability to file for Beneficiary Travel utilizing VA Form 10-3542.
How do you file a travel claim using VA.gov?
To get started, visit VA.gov and select sign in. You will be prompted to verify your identify by either login.gov or ID.me, Once you are logged in you can access your appointment through the MyHeathyVet Tab under past appointments..
“Using the digital claim options ensures accurate mileage calculations, faster claims processing and more log-in options,” said TaKeshia Trevino, chief of the Veterans Transportation Program at Oklahoma City VA Medical Center. “Veterans should absolutely use this system for eligible travel claims!”
Claim the benefits you earned
Submission through VA.Gov or VA Health and Benefits App means less waiting, easier reimbursing, and more chances to say, “cha-ching!”
For more information about how to file for travel pay reimbursement, visit VA’s beneficiary travel webpage.
Victory!
Jason T. Strickland, Lieutenant Colonel (U.S. Army Retired), is the chief communications officer at the VA Rocky Mountain Network