Travel Benefit Pay Problems!

[MCB10VET]

Hey everyone! I have a beef with the VA regarding travel pay. They appear to be messing with me, why I don't know! Went to VA today for a scheduled appointment(at 1:00 pm) I got there at 8:00 am, because it has taken me 4 hours to get the claim processed. I have had problems with this clerk before, but kept my mouth shut, and gave her my name and last 4 of my ss#. A half hour later she brings out the first bunch of the completed claim forms for us to sign and give to the cashier. I looked at mine and saw $39.65, instead of about $120.00. I got hot, but did not open my mouth. Went instead to Patient Advocate, and explained my problem. She say's "well, I know the answer, but I will call someone!" and she does. When she is through with the call, she say's " that's what I thought, your appointments to your primary care provider are only payable to the closest VA to your home, in this case 55 miles, versus 145 miles to VA from my place! I expressed my displeasure about that news, and said "I am 100% percent service connected, and the VA has been paying this since 2005! She say's "well, they made a mistake", however, she could not prove it. I left and drove home, and looked at the VA Benefits website online and it most certainly say's that I should be paid for travel, to any appointment having to do with my Service Connected Disabilities! Anyone else running into this?? I know the Government is out of money, but come on!! Oh yeah, I did not sign and cash the claim, because if I do, I am agreeing with the claim being correct! Take Care! Seabee

[jbasser]

The VA will only pay you to the nearest VA facility. Many are surprised when the VA uses your address on Mapquest and the distance to your nearest VA.

I guess it is the VA's way of corraling us up in certain areas.

It is intended to discourage vets from playing the system.

JBasser

[halos2]

Jbasser is telling you like the regulation state. I know for sure this is true too. I drive 132 miles one way to go to my VAMC, and there is one 110 miles away in another state, and I get travel pay zip code to zip code to the one nearest in the other state. It is in the regs. Doesn't matter if I have been going to the one in my state, there is one closer and that's the distance they pay for. If you got more in the past, someone didn't know or read the regs.

[WAC-Vet75]

Are they now including the little VA outpatient clinics in this? We have an outpatient clinic near us, but they are not equipped for more than giving shots, taking blood, treating minor problems. I have to travel 2 hours, one way, for Neurology and other specialty clinics, Are we now going to be paid for travel to a clinic 20 minutes away when we are actually traveling 2 hours?

[Computer Tech]

WAC-VET75, I don't know about other areas but here I get paid to the Sepulveda clinic not the little outpost nine miles away.

Rick

[godeep]

Are they now including the little VA outpatient clinics in this? We have an outpatient clinic near us, but they are not equipped for more than giving shots, taking blood, treating minor problems. I have to travel 2 hours, one way, for Neurology and other specialty clinics, Are we now going to be paid for travel to a clinic 20 minutes away when we are actually traveling 2 hours?

Probably not. I get travel pay for driving to Palo Alto from San Jose, but not to the San Jose Clinic, 20 minutes from me.

[chr49]

Are they now including the little VA outpatient clinics in this? We have an outpatient clinic near us, but they are not equipped for more than giving shots, taking blood, treating minor problems. I have to travel 2 hours, one way, for Neurology and other specialty clinics, Are we now going to be paid for travel to a clinic 20 minutes away when we are actually traveling 2 hours?

They don't appear to be including the outpatient clinics. My vascular specialist appointments are at a different VAMC than my primary care VAMC. I get paid for traveling to the primary care facility which is closer to my home. I can think of 4 outpatient clinics that are most likely closer to my home than my primary care VAMC.

I go to a VA outpatient clinic for my P.A.C.S. appointments. Travel vouchers have to be mailed to the VA regional office for those appointments. My wife set up a folder with some pre-filled 'VA form 3542 - Voucher For Mileage Allowance' forms so all I have to do is get one signed/dated when I check out. Takes 7-14 days to get paid.