Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program:
Questions and Answers
Lyn Stoesen
Presidential Management Fellow
February 7, 2011
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R41626
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared for Members and Committees of Congress
Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program: Questions and Answers
Summary
The Department of Veterans Affairs administers a Travel Beneficiary Program to help alleviate
the costs of travel to medical appointments for eligible veterans. Travel benefit eligibility for
veterans is based on either the characteristics of the veteran, the type of medical appointment, or a
combination of the two. Certain people who are not veterans, including family members or others
accompanying veterans to appointments and organ donors, are also eligible for the benefit. Travel
costs are reimbursed to beneficiaries, usually after a deductible. Costs covered by the program
include a per-mile rate for travel in private vehicles, “special mode” (e.g., ambulance) travel in
certain circumstances, and in some cases airfare and meals and lodging.
This report offers an overview of the benefit and includes a question-and-answer section with
basic information about eligibility, the types of travel covered and how benefits are calculated,
and how to apply for the benefit. The report also includes an appendix containing a review of
major legislative and regulatory changes to the benefit since its inception in 1940 (P.L. 76-432)
through the most recent changes enacted in 2010 (P.L. 111-163). Recent changes are primarily
related to mileage reimbursement rates and deductibles. Another appendix details funding for the
program between FY2006 and FY2011. Spending for the program has increased by 285%
between FY2006 and FY2010, and the number of veterans claiming travel reimbursement has
increased by 30% during that time.
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Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program: Questions and Answers
Contents
Overview .................................................................................................................................... 1
Questions and Answers ............................................................................................................... 2
Who Is Eligible? ................................................................................................................... 2
Eligibility Based on Veteran Characteristics .................................................................... 2
Eligibility Based on Type of Appointment ....................................................................... 3
Eligibility Based on Characteristics and Appointment Type ............................................. 3
Non-veteran Eligibility.................................................................................................... 3
Which Travel Costs Are Covered?......................................................................................... 4
Travel by Car .................................................................................................................. 4
Special Mode Transportation........................................................................................... 4
Airfare ............................................................................................................................ 5
Meals and Lodging ......................................................................................................... 5
Other Costs Covered ....................................................................................................... 5
How Are Benefits Calculated?............................................................................................... 5
Deductibles ..................................................................................................................... 5
Mileage Reimbursement Rates ........................................................................................ 5
How Can Veterans Apply to Receive Benefits?...................................................................... 6
Are There Other Options for Travel Assistance? .................................................................... 6
Are Any Groups Excepted from the Eligibility Criteria? ........................................................ 6
Can Veterans Be Reimbursed for Relocation Travel to Another Geographic Area? ................. 7
Are There Circumstances Under Which Eligible Veterans’ Benefits Are Not Paid? ................ 7
Can Veterans Appeal a Travel Claim Denial?......................................................................... 7
Tables
Table B-1. Spending for the Beneficiary Travel Program, FY2006-FY2011 ................................. 9
Appendixes
Appendix A. Beneficiary Travel Program Legislative and Regulatory History ............................. 8
Appendix B. Beneficiary Travel Program Funding ...................................................................... 9
Contacts
Author Contact Information ........................................................................................................ 9
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Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program: Questions and Answers
Overview
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a range of benefits to veterans who meet
specific eligibility rules. Benefits are provided through the Veterans Health Administration
(VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration
(NCA). The focus of this report is travel benefits offered through VHA to assist veterans in
accessing health care by providing reimbursements for some travel costs.
In most cases, veterans must enroll to receive health benefits through VHA. All enrolled veterans
are offered a standard medical benefits package1; additional health benefits may be available to
veterans based on their veteran status,2 the presence of service-connected disabilities3 or
exposures,4 income,5 and other factors, such as status as a former prisoner of war or receipt of a
Purple Heart.
In order to improve access to VA health care services, and because veterans may need to travel
significant distances to reach VA medical centers or clinics, Congress authorized VA to reimburse
some veterans for travel expenses related to medical appointments as part of the medical benefits
package6 with the passage of P.L. 76-432 in 1940. Since its authorization, the Veterans
Beneficiary Travel Program has undergone a number of significant legislative and regulatory
changes affecting eligibility and the type of transportation covered, as well as the cost to VA for
the benefit. Congress has changed mileage reimbursement rates and veteran deductible costs for
this program.7 The most recent changes to the program were made by the Caregivers and Veterans
Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-163). Appendix A provides a summary of
legislative and regulatory changes to the program. Benefit changes have affected actual and
projected program costs; details on program funding are included in Appendix B.
1 A detailed listing of VHA’s standard medical benefits package is available at 38 C.F.R. § 17.38 (2010). For more
details on eligibility for VA health care and enrollment, see CRS Report R41343, Veterans Medical Care: FY2011
Appropriations, by Sidath Viranga Panangala.
2 Veteran’s status is established by active-duty status in the U.S. Armed Forces and an honorable discharge or release
from active military service. Generally, persons enlisting in one of the armed forces after September 7, 1980, and
officers commissioned after October 16, 1981, must have completed two years of active duty or the full period of their
initial service obligation to be eligible for VA health care benefits. Service members discharged at any time because of
service-connected disabilities are not held to this requirement.
3 A service-connected disability is a disability that was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the U.S. Armed
Forces (38 U.S.C. § 101 (16). VA determines whether veterans have service-connected disabilities and, for those with
such disabilities, assigns ratings from 0% to 100% based on the severity of the disability. Percentages are assigned in
increments of 10% (38 C.F.R. §§ 4.1-4.31).
4 For example, veterans who may have been exposed to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War or veterans who may
have diseases potentially related to service in the Gulf War may be eligible to receive care.
5 Veterans with no service-connected conditions and who are Medicaid eligible, or who have an income below a certain
VA means-test threshold and below a median income threshold for the geographic area in which they live, are also
eligible to enroll in the VA health care system.
6 38 U.S.C. § 111; 38 C.F.R. Part 70; 38 C.F.R. § 17.38(xii).
7 In recent years, some veterans’ advocates have maintained that mileage reimbursements have not kept up with
fluctuating gasoline prices, and stated that “travel reimbursements need to be sufficient to encourage disabled veterans
to get the care they need and not delay treatment because of travel expenses.” Veterans Benefits Disability
Commission, Honoring the Call to Duty: Veterans’ Disability Benefits in the 21st Century, Washington, DC, October 3,
2007, p. 247.
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Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program: Questions and Answers
Questions and Answers
Not all veterans are eligible for travel benefits, and not all travel costs are covered by the Veterans
Beneficiary Travel Program. VA determines eligibility for Veterans Beneficiary Travel Program
benefits based on the characteristics of the veteran, the type of medical appointment, or a
combination of the two. Travel benefits are also provided for a limited group of non-veterans.
Although the benefits are standardized nationally, specific mileage calculations and
reimbursements are made individually at VA’s 153 hospitals (medical centers) around the country
through their business or travel offices. Time limits also apply for requesting reimbursement.
Eligibility for Travel Benefits
Eligibility based on veteran characteristics:
• Veterans rated 30% or more service disabled.
• Veterans receiving VA pensions or with annual incomes below the maximum annual rate
for VA pensions, for travel related to all conditions.8
Eligibility based on type of medical appointment:
• All veterans traveling for Compensation and Pension (C&P) exams.9
• All veterans traveling to a transplant center for transplant care.
Eligibility based on veteran characteristics and type of medical appointment:
• Veterans rated less than 30% service disabled for travel related to their service-connected
disability.
Non-veterans eligible for benefits:
• Family members, caregivers, or attendants10 traveling with veterans in some circumstances.
• Organ donors.
• Allied beneficiaries.11
Who Is Eligible?
Eligibility Based on Veteran Characteristics
Veterans can receive travel reimbursement if they meet certain criteria, generally related to
service connection and income levels.12
8 For details on VA pensions, see CRS Report RS22804, Veterans’ Benefits: Pension Benefit Programs, by Christine
Scott and Carol D. Davis.
9 Veterans undergo C&P exams to determine their level of service-connected disability.
10 “Attendant” means an individual traveling with a beneficiary who is eligible for beneficiary travel and requires the
aid and/or physical assistance of another person (38 C.F.R. § 70.2).
11 Allied Beneficiaries are certain beneficiaries of foreign countries who are eligible for treatment within the VA Health
Care System. See VHA Handbook 1601D.02, “Treatment of Allied and Foreign National Beneficiaries,”
http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1463.
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Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program: Questions and Answers
Service Connection Eligibility
“Service connection” refers to disabilities that veterans have incurred or aggravated in the line of
duty in the active military, naval, or air service.13 Travel reimbursement is provided for
• veterans rated 30% or more service-connected for travel relating to any
condition.
Income and Pension Eligibility:
Veterans who receive pensions or who would qualify to receive a pension based on income are
also eligible for travel reimbursement.
• Veterans receiving VA pension benefits can receive travel benefits for
appointments related to all conditions.
• Veterans who do not qualify for pensions (e.g., those who did not serve during a
period of war), but with annual incomes below the maximum annual rate for VA
pensions, can receive benefits for travel related to all conditions.
• Veterans who can present clear evidence that they are unable to defray the cost of
travel can receive benefits for travel related to all conditions.
Eligibility Based on Type of Appointment
For two categories of appointment, travel costs are covered for all veterans, without regard to
income or service-connected disability status.
• All veterans who travel for Compensation and Pension (C&P) exams have all
travel costs covered and do not pay a deductible for the travel.
• All veterans traveling to a transplant center for transplant care have travel costs
covered.
Eligibility Based on Characteristics and Appointment Type
Veterans who are rated less than 30% service-connected are eligible for travel reimbursement for
appointments that are related to their service-connected condition.
Non-veteran Eligibility
A limited group of non-veterans is also eligible for reimbursement of some travel costs related to
medical appointments at VA facilities:
• an attendant of a veteran, if a VA provider determines the attendant is required;
(...continued)
12 38 C.F.R. § 70.10.
13 38 U.S.C. § 101.
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• donors or potential donors of tissue, organs, or parts to a veteran receiving VA-
authorized care;
• veterans’ immediate family members traveling for bereavement counseling
related to the death of the veteran in the active line of duty;
• veterans’ immediate family members, guardians, or those in whose home a
veteran lives if traveling for consultation, counseling, training, or mental health
services relating to a veteran receiving care for a service-connected disability;
• allied beneficiaries, if the travel and reimbursement have been authorized by the
appropriate foreign government agency; and
• beneficiaries of other federal agencies, when authorized by that agency.
Which Travel Costs Are Covered?
Travel benefits are provided only for care that is being paid for by VA, and only for care that has
been previously scheduled, unless it is emergency care.
In general, for those eligible to receive benefits through the program as described above, VA will
provide a per-mile payment for travel by car, reimbursement for “special mode” transportation
when justified, and in some circumstances reimbursement for air travel. Veterans must submit
requests for reimbursement within 30 days of the travel, although certain cost reimbursements
must be requested before the travel takes place. Deductibles apply in most cases.
Travel by Car
Eligible veterans who drive in private cars to appointments are reimbursed at a per-mile rate for
travel both to the appointment and back home. If two or more eligible beneficiaries are riding in
the same car, only one mileage reimbursement will be made (i.e., the reimbursement is provided
for costs actually incurred, not per person traveling).
Special Mode Transportation
“Special mode” transportation refers to travel in an ambulance, wheelchair van, or other vehicle
specially designed for transporting people with disabilities. Other types of transportation, such as
subways, trains, airplanes, and privately owned vehicles, are not considered special mode even if
they have been adapted or are capable of transporting people with disabilities. To receive benefits
for special mode transportation, the veteran must be eligible for the benefit, as described above,
and the special mode transportation must be medically required, as determined by a VA clinician.
Reimbursement for special mode transportation must be requested prior to the trip, except in the
case of medical emergencies.
• Special mode transportation from a VA facility to a community emergency
facility and back is authorized for reimbursement if the transportation is required
because the VA facility could not provide the needed care.
• Special mode transportation to an emergency facility for treatment can be
retroactively authorized if the emergency episode of care is approved for VA
payment.
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Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program: Questions and Answers
Airfare
The Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 201014 clarified that “actual
necessary expense of travel includes the reasonable costs of airfare if travel by air is the only
practical way to reach a Department facility.’’ The veteran’s medical condition and any other
impediments to the use of ground transportation should be considered in the evaluation of
whether travel by air is practical.
Meals and Lodging
VA will reimburse for actual cost up to 50% of the government employee rate for meals and
lodging15 when deemed appropriate by VA based on medical condition, distance required to
travel, weather conditions, time of appointment, and other factors. Reimbursement for food and
lodging should be requested in advance.
Other Costs Covered
Tolls, parking fees, luggage fees, and costs for travel by taxi or other hired vehicle may be
reimbursed if receipts are offered.16
How Are Benefits Calculated?
Travel benefits are distributed as reimbursements for actual costs incurred (with the exception
noted above for meals and lodging capped at 50% of government employee rates), and a
deductible applies in most cases.
Deductibles
Deductible rates have varied in recent years (see Appendix A). Current deductible rates are $3 for
one-way travel and $6 for round-trip travel, with a monthly cap of $18 (six one-way trips or three
round-trips).
Deductible waivers are available for those receiving VA pensions or qualifying based on income,
and for those traveling for C&P exams.
Mileage Reimbursement Rates
Mileage rates have also changed several times in recent years (see Appendix A). The current
reimbursement rate is set at 41.5 cents per mile.
Mileage rate calculation methods vary between VA facilities. Some facilities calculate mileage
based on zip codes; others use online mapping tools, such as Mapquest, to determine miles
14 P.L. 111-163.
15 Government rates for meals and lodging, set by the General Services Administration (GSA), vary based on
geographic location. Current rates can be found at http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287.
16 38 C.F.R. § 70.30.
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Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program: Questions and Answers
traveled. Veterans are reimbursed based on their current place of residence, whether or not it is
the address to which official mail is sent. Generally travel reimbursement is paid only from the
place of current residence to the nearest facility that can provide the required care.
How Can Veterans Apply to Receive Benefits?
Veterans are usually able to apply for travel reimbursement at the VA medical center in which
their appointment was held, through a travel office or business office within the facility. Medical
centers also establish procedures to provide benefits for eligible veterans traveling to Community
Based Outpatient Clinics17 or other facilities under their jurisdiction.
Claimants must apply in person or in writing within 30 calendar days of completing the travel.
Special mode transportation must be preapproved for reimbursement. In cases of emergency that
involved special mode transportation, applications for reimbursement must be made within 30
days.
Are There Other Options for Travel Assistance?
If a veteran does not qualify for travel reimbursement based on eligibility criteria, the veteran
may be able to access other resources to assist in funding travel. VA facilities will provide
reduced-fare request forms to veterans for submission to bus companies and other transportation
providers. The transportation provider determines whether reduced fare will be offered to the
veteran.
Veterans may also be able to access transportation assistance or services from non-governmental
veterans service organizations, such as the Disabled American Veterans’ (DAV) Transportation
Network.18
Are Any Groups Excepted from the Eligibility Criteria?
The only exceptions to the service-connected disability or income qualification eligibility criteria
for the benefit are for those traveling for a C&P exam or those traveling to a transplant center for
transplant care. Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn
veterans, veterans with spinal cord injuries, and other “special groups” must meet standard
eligibility criteria to receive the benefit.
17 Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) are VA health care sites that are geographically distinct or separate
from its parent VA medical facility. For more information, see CRS Report R41044, Veterans Health Administration:
Community-Based Outpatient Clinics, by Sidath Viranga Panangala.
18 DAV’s Transportation Network assists veterans by coordinating transportation. See http://www.dav.org/volunteers/
Ride.aspx.
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Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program: Questions and Answers
Can Veterans Be Reimbursed for Relocation Travel to Another
Geographic Area?
Only veterans receiving inpatient VA care and considered to be in a “terminal condition”
(expected to live six months or less) are eligible to receive travel benefits to relocate to a health
care facility that is not located in the area where they lived when they entered their current
facility.
Are There Circumstances Under Which Eligible Veterans’ Benefits
Are Not Paid?
VA will not pay return travel for a beneficiary who has been irregularly discharged.19 If a veteran
arrives at a medical center for non-emergency services without an appointment and receives care
or services, VA will approve payment only for return trip costs; if no services are provided, VA
will not approve payment for travel.
Can Veterans Appeal a Travel Claim Denial?
If a veteran has a travel claim denied, the veteran must be provided with written notice of the
decision. Veterans have rights to appeal the decision, which can be filed with the Board of
Veterans Appeals.20
19 38 C.F.R. § 70.2. Irregular discharges may be due to refusal, neglect, or obstruction of examination or treatment;
leaving without the approval of the treating clinician; or disorderly conduct. VA may also determine that the payment
of the benefit would be “counterproductive” to the care or therapy provided, if this determination is recorded in the
patient’s medical records and approved by the Chief of Service or designee (38 C.F.R. § 70.30). In proposed rules, VA
noted, “Although VA policy is generally to provide payments for beneficiary travel consistent with statutory authority
and availability of funds, there are some situations where such payments are not medically feasible…. These provisions
reflect the policy of withholding payment for beneficiary travel when such payment could be detrimental to a
beneficiary’s treatment” (Department of Veterans Affairs, “Beneficiary Travel Under 38 U.S.C. 111 Within the United
States,” 72 Federal Register 40100, July 23, 2007).
20 38 C.F.R. § 70.40. Appeals can be made using VA Form 4107VHA, http://www4.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/
VA4107VHA.pdf.
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Veterans Affairs Beneficiary Travel Program: Questions and Answers
Appendix A. Beneficiary Travel Program
Legislative and Regulatory History
Year
Summary
Public Law Number
Travel Beneficiary Program established; VA mandated to
P.L. 76-432
1940
pay actual travel or allowance based on mileage for any
veteran traveling to and from a VA facility or other place
for examination, treatment, or care.
Benefit is changed to a discretionary authority with “may
P.L. 85-857
1958
pay” language. VA is authorized to pay necessary expenses
for veterans traveling for vocational rehabilitation
counseling or examination, treatment, or care.
1960
Reimbursement for ferry fares and bridge, road, and tunnel
P.L. 86-590
tol s is added to the benefit.
1966
Clarification that payment may be made before completion
P.L. 89-455
of travel.
1976
VA required to examine “actual cost of travel” and submit
P.L. 94-581
report to Congress on proposed mileage rates.
1978
VA mileage rates adjusted to 11 cents per mile.
N/Aa
Final regulations published. Due to rising costs, VA curtails
N/Ab
1987
eligibility; deductibles set at $11 for trips of more than 100
miles.
Most travel reimbursement benefits restored; deductible
P.L. 100-322
1988
imposed for most travel at $3 per one-way trip or $18 per
month.
Mileage rates increased from 11 cents per mile to 28.5
P.L. 110-161
2008
cents per mile; deductibles raised to $7.77 per one-way
trip or $46.62 per month.
2008
Funds provided to increase mileage reimbursement rate to
P.L. 110-329
41.5 cents; deductibles frozen at $7.77/ $46.62.
Mileage rates required to conform with General Services
P.L. 110-387
2008
Administration (GSA) rates; deductible rates lowered to
$3/$18.
Mileage rates set at 41.5 cents, with authority to adjust to
P.L. 111-163c
GSA rates one year after enactment; includes air travel
2010
reimbursement for some cases; provides travel, lodging,
and per diem for family members of eligible veterans who
are receiving caregiver training; directs reimbursement for
travel expenses for attendants.
Source: Table prepared by Congressional Research Service.
a. Department of Veterans Affairs, “Increase in Mileage Reimbursement Rate and Deductible Amounts in
the Beneficiary Travel Program,” 73 Federal Register 6291, February 1, 2008.
b. Veterans Administration, “Transportation of Claimants and Beneficiaries,” 52 Federal Register 7575-7577,
March 12, 1987.
c. VA is required to submit a justification to Congress if mileage rate adjustments result in a decrease.
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Appendix B. Beneficiary Travel Program Funding
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, the costs associated with the Travel Beneficiary
Program have risen in recent years due to the increased number of veterans claiming mileage
reimbursement, a rise in the average number of claims per veteran, and higher costs per veteran
claim.21 VA showed a 30% increase in the number of veterans claiming reimbursement (estimated
at 450,000 in FY2008 and 586,000 in FY2009), and showed the average number of claims per
veteran increased from 5.5 to 7.1 during that same period.22
As shown in Table B-1, spending for the Beneficiary Travel Program increased by approximately
285% between FY2006 and FY2010. It is estimated that VA will spend approximately $798
million in FY2011. It should be noted that the funding for this program comes directly from the
VA health care appropriation.23
Table B-1. Spending for the Beneficiary Travel Program, FY2006-FY2011
$ in thousands
FY2006
FY2007
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
FY2011
Actual
Actual
Actual
Actual
Estimate
Estimate
Expenditures $198,762 $228,955 $372,964 $628,691 $765,848 $798,014
Source: Table prepared by Congressional Research Service (CRS), based on data from the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs, Congressional Budget Submissions (FY2008-11), Medical Programs and Information Technology;
see http://www4.va.gov/budget/products.asp.
Author Contact Information
Lyn Stoesen
Presidential Management Fellow
lstoesen@crs.loc.gov, 7-2514
21 Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Beneficiary Travel Program, Report to Congress, December 2009.
22 Each mileage reimbursement claim corresponds to one round trip.
23 For a description of appropriations accounts that fund VA health care, see CRS Report R41343, Veterans Medical
Care: FY2011 Appropriations, by Sidath Viranga Panangala.
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