Travel pay

[Combat eng]

How is the VA doing travel pay? I have to travel for physical therapy due to knee replacement. I heard a couple of guys discussing the topic and one was saying that you could do it online. I didn't get involved in their conversation. I come to all of you guys for all of my questions. I know where to get credible info, since joining this site I've gone from 10% to 70% by submitting on own claims. I truly thank all of you. I share all of the knowledge I view on this site with a lot of older vets that don't have access to or don't care for computers. Sorry for rambling on.

[GBArmy]

Combat eng We can now do it either on-line or by a hard form you submit. Here's the info https://www.va.gov/health-care/get-reimbursed-for-travel-pay/ I have to do the hard form because my address is a PO box. They won't recognize anything other than a physical address. I asked the rep how do I do that because if you send to my physical address I don't have a physical mail box to receive, she said they can't do it. You can't have a PO box AND a physical box! Duh. Anyway, go on-line if it works for you.

[brokensoldier244th]

It takes forever, even online, to receive. Ive been in manual verification for something like 2 and a half months now for trips just between here and OMA, so, nothing extravagant. That the application and option exist it great, Im all for it, but that it takes so long sucks. The point of it was to speed things up by taking it OFF paper, with manual sign offs, etc. At least the old way if you had to wait 20-30 minutes on a REALLY busy day for them to process it in house behind the glass it would get done and you could buy gas to get home if it was one of those weeks. This way you have to plan for the trip, fill up and then..........*? I haven't gotten paid for a trip yet since late last year. Plus, after you sign in there is a verification screen for your profile info (name, address, bank info, etc) and no matter how many times I refill in missing parts of it and save to update, the next time I log in to check status those pieces of info are gone again. 

[Vync]

The online site is pretty jacked up. If you make a mistake, you cannot edit or delete anything you added. They said it is a good start, but even they have had problems with it and recommended doing it the old fashioned way.

My VAMC travel office said I could send them a letter explaining the details of the appointments along with a work excuse from each provider. They can receive a copy of it by fax, mail, or I may drop it off in person. They mail me the vouchers. I sign and return them. Wait for the check in the mail.

Each VAMC travel office may do things a little bit differently, so call and verify with them.

Also, don't wait too long to submit them. Mine told me the 30 day window applies.

[brokensoldier244th]

yup, 30 days 

https://www.va.gov/health-care/get-reimbursed-for-travel-pay/#:~:text=Be sure to submit your,of when you become eligible.

[broncovet]

The easiest way to get travel pay, in my opinion, is just put it in at the Kiosk at your VAMC.  Of course, I can not guarantee, this is available at ALL VAMC's, but it is at mine.  

If you can check into appointments, via this kiosk, you can probably also request travel pay there.  

I have done this, and a couple weeks later, I get a deposit to my account.  

However, I have mostly given up on travel pay.  I live about 4 miles from my VAMC and there is a shorter, (shorter in distance, but much longer in time driving, because of dozens of traffic lights) so VA pays me the "short distance" regardless of which route I take.  

While I can not recall the numbers right now, I seem to recall there is a deductable for the first 3 trips per month.  If I remember, after the deductable, I get about 40 cents or so per trip to the VA.  Frankly, even tho I am tight with money, I usually dont bother when its under a couple bucks.  

Im so close to the VA, that its just not worth it to wait in line for a kiosk 15 minutes, sometimes, to get a quarter.  I could make more picking up aluminum cans out of the trash, if I needed money that bad.  

[kanewnut]

I wondered if others were having trouble with travel pay. I am still waiting on some from October. I have called and was told they are working from the oldest. The attached document the VA sent me says the kiosks are going away with this new system. I found it quite convenient to use the kiosk to request travel pay. My experience with BTSSS is not good. It is definitely not going to save me any time. This is typical VA. New system that is supposed to be better. Turns out to be a piece of crap. Don't they ever test these systems.   

Scan Mar 8, 2021 at 7.48 PM.pdf