What Happened To Travel Pay

[pacmanx1]

I just don't understand what happened to travel pay. Not to long ago travel pay was paid the same day. Then VA said they must pay travel pay by EFT Direct Deposit and it went from being paid the same day to three to five days. Now it has been over forty days and they tell me it was processed and it could be up to another fifteen days.

I make sure I turn my travel voucher in during work hours and I see the Clerks in their office and walking around the hospital. The clerks in the office are working on their computer but how long does it take to input travel pay? They have stacks of vouchers they are inputing in the system but I am trying to figure out how can they be that backed up. It makes no sense to me. I bet they get their checks on time. Driving about 200 miles round trip eats gas and that can add up when a veteran has multiple appointments each month. I know they get paid even if veterans don't. Just had to vent a little.

Edited June 10, 2015 by pacmanx1

[Vync]

Your venting is justified. I had direct deposit setup and it usually took about a week for my VAMC to process the payments. Earlier this year, they started sending me checks in the mail instead. I would honestly rather wait in line for 5 minutes and receive payments on the spot, but someone got a bright idea to do things differently... I mean, what good is getting paid for travel when the payment will only help for your next tank of gas... I hope they get your travel straightened out.

[toddt]

The day of the VAMC visit I am given a travel voucher, I take it to the travel clerks in the hospital and they enter it into their computer right there. They then print out a sheet that I have to sign and date and insert it in a slot. In about 10 days or less a check shows up in my mail box.

Edited June 9, 2015 by toddt

[#1Cavtrooper]

I can relate to your frustrations with travel pay. At the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical center in Houston, TX they have the travel window and also the Kiosk for travel pay. Good advice: use the windo for service! It usually hits my bank in 4 or five days. I used the kiosk once and it took 2 weeks to appear in my bank account.

[Pete53]

My travel pay is 5.56 hey it pays my gas and I usually get it in less than a week. Remember the heart of the VA is slow pay. Slow pay for benefits and everything else.

[Vync]

The clinic clerks print out our travel vouchers. We sign them and then deposit them into an odd shaped lock box/mail box at the cashier.

[Guest]

VAMC Nashville travel pay is now sixty (60) days backlog. I am waiting on several travel reimbursements and I have another appointment this week. These payments are adding up very fast. Are they (VA Travel Clerks) trying to say they are over worked. Before the VAMC started this direct deposit thing, all the travel clerk had to do was type veterans information in the system and print the form and the veteran was paid the same day. Now the veteran must wait at least (60) days. What the heck are they doing besides talking in the office and in the hallways and on the phone. It is called work that is the reason for them to be there. Wow unbelievable.