VA Travel Pay: Get Paid for Driving to Appointments

What it is

Getting to the doctor costs money. VA's beneficiary travel program pays you back for some of it. Most of the time, that means mileage. In some cases VA also covers things like tolls, parking, public transit, meals and lodging (with pre-approval), or a special vehicle like a wheelchair van.

Who qualifies

You may be eligible if any of these apply:

• You have a service-connected rating of 30% or higher.
• You're traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition, even if your rating is lower.
• You get a VA pension.
• Your income is low, below VA's limits.
• You're going to a VA claim exam (C&P exam).
• You can't afford the trip, based on VA's rules.
• You're getting certain care, like organ transplant care or some caregiver program visits.

Travel pay covers trips to the nearest VA facility that can treat you, or to community care that VA approved in advance.

How much VA pays

VA pays 41.5 cents per mile, door to door. Most people pay a deductible of $3 each way, or $6 round trip, up to $18 a month. Once you hit $18 in a month, VA pays the full amount for other approved trips that month.

The deductible is waived if you get a VA pension, are going to a claim exam, or have income below certain VA limits.

How to file, step by step

1. Go to your appointment. Keep your receipts for anything besides mileage.
2. File online through VA.gov or the VA: Health and Benefits app. For simple mileage claims, this can take a couple of minutes. More complex claims go through the Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS).
3. File within 30 days of your appointment.
4. Add your bank account for direct deposit if you haven't already.
5. Need a special vehicle? Ask your VA team in advance. Ambulance or wheelchair van rides usually need to be arranged or approved by VA ahead of time.
6. Need a hotel or meals? Call your facility's travel clerk before your trip.
7. Emergency at a non-VA hospital? Call VA within 72 hours about the ambulance ride.

Caregivers and attendants

If you can't travel alone for medical reasons, VA may also pay for an attendant, like a family member, to come with you. Family caregivers in VA's caregiver program can get travel pay for some trips too. Ask your VA team to note in your record that you need an attendant.

What isn't covered

Travel pay doesn't cover trips to a VA facility that's farther away when a closer one could treat you, unless VA sent you there. It also generally doesn't cover routine pharmacy pickups or trips for care VA didn't approve. When in doubt, ask the travel office before you go.

Claim exam travel

If your claim exam is at a VA facility, VA pays. If it's with a contractor, the contractor handles your travel pay. Call them if you haven't been paid within 14 days.

Mistakes to avoid

• Waiting too long. File within 30 days.
• Not knowing you qualify. Many veterans at 30% or higher never file.
• Forgetting the claim exam trip. It's covered, and the deductible is waived.
• Booking a hotel without approval. VA may not pay.

Related benefits

See our guides on VA health care, community care, the C&P exam, and caregiver support.