Veteran travel 101: Applying for travel reimbursement

The system has become unworkable and needs to be completely revamped. I am a retired systems engineer with a degree in computer science and have difficulty using the system. I suspect the average Joe has more problems with the site than do I. VA data processing systems are notoriously faulty, but the current system is worse than the previous. Please do something about this problem.

Go back to the Kiosks again and the problem will fix itself

I am a 100% disabled Vet. I am treated at the Hampton, Virginia VA. I file the 10-3542 form every time I go to the VA for an appointment. I am wheel chair bound and my wife takes me to all appointments. I have not received travel pay since June, 2023. We have checked with the travel office 4 to 5 times and they tell us they are behind in payments and working on them. Right now I have 22 appointments that I have not received travel pay for. They don’t seem concerned. Every time I have gone to their office there have been other Vets in line asking the same thing. Your system is broken and someone needs to step up and fix it.

Congress did not authorize the Secretary to create approval criteria for 38 USC 111, “Payments or allowances for beneficiary travel”.

The Secretary unlawfully created approval and payment determination criteria via 38 CFR 70.4 (b) & (c) and reduced the payments or allowances for beneficiary travel by 50 percent:

“(b) When a claimant requests payment for beneficiary travel after the provision of care or services…, VA will approve roundtrip payment under this part only if the travel was:

(1) In connection with care or services that were scheduled with VHA prior to arrival at the VHA-designated facility, or

(2) For emergency treatment.

(c) When a claimant requests payment for beneficiary travel for care or services that were not scheduled with VHA prior to arrival at the facility and were not emergency treatment…,VA will not approve round-trip payment under this part but will approve payment for the return trip if VHA actually provided care or services.”

38 USC 111: https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/38/111 already provides the approval and payment criteria. It makes no distinction between scheduled and unscheduled appointments or routine and emergency appointments.

38 USC 111 (b)(1): “…the Secretary shall make the payments… for travel… for examination, treatment, or care for which the person is eligible.”

Federal Register Vol 72, No 140, Monday July 23, 2007, Proposed Rules, 40097-40098: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2007-07-23/pdf/E7-14069.pdf

“Proposed 70.4 provides a full list of the approval criteria that VA would apply to claims for beneficiary travel, including the individuals who would be eligible for benefits”.

Proposed 70.4 (b) and (c) “ensure that BT is… not merely to obtain cash for other reasons”

This logic inappropriate, counter to the will of Congress, and extremely offensive.

Claims have been, and are being, reduced for invalid cause for 16 years or more. It needs to stop.

https://www.vaoig.gov/hotline/online-forms/submit-a-complaint

I have been going to the VA since 1983 do I get Reb reimbursement for pass b
Visits to the hospital

My travel pay claims were denied even when I had submitted proof of my appointment attendance form along with my travel pay claims. The reason for the denial was decided by the Travel Pay Department. On the VA.Gov website it is written to Fill out a Decision Review Request: Board Appeal (Notice of Disagreement) (VA Form 10182). Then bring your form and any supporting documents to a VA regional office. I do not need to waste days, weeks or months. I did not use the appeal process because I knew my travel pay claims were legit. There was absolutely no reason to deny any of my VA approved appointments for the treatment of my seizures. I was treated as if I was trying to file false travel pay claims. That angered and stressed me out to the point my seizures increased. I instead reported my travel pay claim denial issues to the FTC. Shortly after this my denied travel pay claims was suddenly approved. The Travel Pay Department did not even bother to look at my official consultation approval authorization letter for the treatment of my seizures which they had in their possession the entire time. I am a black, female soldier and veteran. I wonder if I was a male soldier would I have been treated with more respect and dignity. My answer is yes. Female veterans are treated poorly when dealing these types of departmental issues and have to be more aggressive in order to have their voice heard and their issues resolved. I was not even given an apology for their mistake. I am angry and insulted. I will not be quiet about this or any other form of nonsense. The following week I received the email from: news.va.gov//129612/veteran-travel-101-applying-for-reimbursement/ email. What nonsense.

The VA Travel Reimbursement System is a joke. 30 days should not be a cutoff for getting our monies back. And…getting Dr. Notes to include, and answering VA calls to verify attending appts and the 2 travel employees with bad attitudes in Montgomery, AL, the months of backlog and the entire reimbursement system SUCKS, if a veteran makes a VA approved appt, the VA needs to put the responsibility of verifying we go to all these referrals and VA appointments in the VA travel system. I retired from Federal System and I did travel and it’s too much required by Travel to get reimbursed, at one time we received, CASH same day of appt at VA, and some referral contracted offices, gave checks upon completing an VA appt, then, the Direct Deposit system started, I have not received my travel since 2023, because, of the backlog first and having some erroneous reports of missed appts that I made. The system need to be as simple and VA placing checking kiosks in any contracted physician that is on the eligible lists for a Veteram to receive services. It’s that simple, and that the stress off, off, off of us! We have enough to do as it is, and becoming a travel assistant to get money back is ludacris… I’ve lost over $400.00 in travel reimbursements because, the VA travel employees are rude, lazy, over worked, and act like it’s their personal money..just revamp travel reimbursement…get debit cards, buy kiosks and place in Federal buildings US Wide, but what I do know is this, since the cash cage days of travel reimbursements….the VA has saved thousands if not millions, of travel pay for outside referrals that some veterans have no access to a computer, mailbox, printer, etc and the VA uses this pitfall as a way of saving alot of money that is owed to us!!!

I was thrown off for reimbursement for mileage because of a couple of hearing exams were paid automatically..but going to VA scheduled appointment were never paid..so I just gave up trying to get them…I wonder where and who received the milage payments I was intitled to..

4-06-2024
I received a ticket for crossing the street, I was getting racially profiled before. I am a mynority Veteran, that has a vast unique experience. There is a veterans retirement home that is close, but the only VAMC is 15-20 miles away. I rode a bike before because there was complications getting to VA facility. The Agent Cashier, at my local VAMC, is friendly. Is the Trips to the VAMC worth four hours bike riding? And then having arguments about travel rembusment? Honesty, there has been debate after debate and after hour’s, day’s week’s and months people back out and real lack face. COM SEC has all pertaint files DD-214’s, medical records ext some other files require SAPs. Not everyone is mature enough. And some cause issues “it is what it is,” but it is not a buessnies it’s a life style page by page, word by word, and day by day. The poverty level in the United States is $15,060 for a single person. “Google.” If a person has served in the military and went to the war because of low economic level and low educational level of parents then this was a attempt to get out of poverty. In USA there has been a history of Slavery and unequality based off of race. It is a historical fact, immigrants face this challenge attempt to improve the quality of life, by changing the environment. The terminology that apply’s is “Environment Dictates.” A cultural conflict has been scribed in the history book and a we have developed a phycological view points based off of education. The crusades ex a Turkish series Erugtulrul many people have this view point. In the animals kingdom the preditor chase’s a pack of animals and usually gets the animal that is lame or young. Are we so different as a company can gossip like birds in the morning, follow and attack somebody that has been through so so much. I am disappointed with you, and disappointed in your behavior. No warnings, no basic ethical values from your mothers fathers and grandparents. Let me tell you a story, there was a king fu master that practiced his skill or Kung Fu every day as a way to live and function. He never had much money but every day would look at his Kung Fu and train with a method that consistent and patience. Others would talk, and pay for guns and battons. But the Master continued to train, and train to the point that that bigger companies the majority would become spiteful and angry. They attacked his family because they could not attack him because of his trainings. They lied about names that assumed things that did not make sense and had no sense, because dispite it was good that there familys had money they became victims of circumstance. They could not walk as far as the master they could not talk like the master, but the Master serves them in safety and security with out there guns and battons. Would they take offense to a tribal challenge to prove the validity of the gossip, prove the Truth, in the old way, the honest way, the first way? The master is small not big but the ones that gossip are big strong and tuff. The Master has few moneys, but the gossip are well off much moneys. So why can the master beat them at nothing with nothing. The master can see with out using his eyes. Do they see with out eyes? Do they run with no legs. Who is more fit, for this types of service?

I’m 100% and have yet to file for mileage due to a system that is complicated ,confusing and made to discourage VETERANS. I’m a VIEN NAM VET, my son transports me to my scheduled appointments 90 miles one way.

The original system where we could file for our travel pay at the VA immediately after our at the kiosk after our appointment was easy and efficient. The new method requires a computer science degree and takes an enormous amount of time which I’m sure benefits the VA because most older veterans are not able to get through all the steps in the 30 days to get everything right to get the travel pay. Just try it some time. And before all we had to do was check out once for all the days appointments. Now you have to do each appointment individually and hope you put in the most important one first or the days travel could be based on that. Please just go to a system that is simple and easy for everyone! Thank you for your time!

In the past year the V. A. has not reimbursed me for about one half of my summitted travel vouchers. I do not understand why.

All were summited at the Salem V. A. at time of my appointment and dropped off at the reimbursement window/box.

I will have to quite going to my appointments if this keeps happening. Please remit these. I

If the money spent, by the V. A. to send ” HOW ARE WE DOING LETTERS”, to all veterans. and put toward real expenses, then the V. A. would be able to help veterans with their travel pay.

Not to mention all the trinkets that the V. A. has made, I E, dog tags with V. A. messages, Rubber band wrist bracelets with a message on them, ball point pen, etc etc.

Disregard previous due to wrong date of filing. Here is the right dates and complete information:
submitted: 02/12/2024
Initial EO

Find my claim and deliver to my address on file.
When I was called to defend this country, I was there 100%, no excuses, no delays.

Not an overly definitive article on specifics of eligibility criteria. A lot of word salad.

It is obvious that the system is broken. I have had multiple visits, (more than two), throughout the past years to only show two relationships pulled in the BTSSS.
1. As shown below:
Type Date Description Requested Submitted
Mileage Expense for Claim # TC202212009XXXXX 08/15/2022 (Miles: 130.86) $54.31 $48.31
Total $48.31
Funds never allocated to my account. Where the money go??

2. Feet problems in calendar year 2023, part of my disability. No relationship established in BTSSS.
3. Follow up to number two above, relation was established in BTSSS. Claim requested in March 2024 and is pending.

Unfortunately, I feel as a second class citizen. Does anyone care, does anyone has the desire to fix this?

VHA invites comments, on or before May 6, 2024, at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-04543 for:

Veteran/Beneficiary Claim for Reimbursement of Travel Expenses (VA Form 10–3542 and BTSSS):

(1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of VHA’s functions, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) the accuracy of VHA’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information;

(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology.

View the VHA Information Collection Request at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202402-2900-007

I go to Lake City & Gainesville, Fl from Valdosta Ga (80% rating)one way about 100 & 130. respectively I file all my travel claims on line and is quite easy. HOWEVER, all my claims are always listed as “in manual review” and I was told you have to call Travel office to release. The problem is that it is EXTREMELY difficult to get through as no one answers at times and if you can get to leave a message, (mailbox is very often full) nobody EVER call back & if fortunate to get through will still take 3 or 4 more calls to finally get direct deposit released. Almost all claim s have no additional items to submit, when signed up was told a week tops to get paid. Very cumbersome for online filing

BTSSS is really worthless, never consistent. I filed two claims on the same date for two different two different appointment dates to the same clinic. One was paid correctly for a roundtrip mileage of 62 miles. The other, same distance, indicated they paid for 2.7 miles (really?), which of course I never received any payment.

Anyway, long story short, there is no way to dispute the erroneous payment through BTSSS website. Therefore, I called my area Benefit Travel representative three different days in which I left messages. Of course, they don’t ever answer the phone or call you back. So that means, I will have to waste time and mileage just to visit the representative in person in hope that he will be in his office.

Bring back the kiosk or automatically submit travel claims upon check-in with the VA Clinic or Hopital.

Correction:
Download VHA “SUPPORTING STATEMENT A, Veteran/Beneficiary Claim for Reimbursement of Travel Expenses VA Form 10-3542 OMB Control Number 2900-0798” at
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/DownloadDocument?objectID=139524500

Obviously, a veteran is not writing this article! After 38 years using the VA for care, we have had good and bad travel pay systems. The best working system was the Kiosk. Its only weakness was a two-step process. First having to check-in then request travel pay.
An optimal system would be to integrate travel pay with our medical appointments or if you don’t trust veterans to do their best to be honorable bring back the Kiosk.

ONE question not answered –
How do we appropriately ‘prove’ we attended the appointment?

I’ve learned there is some difference between a doctor’s appointment for diagnosis and a doctor’s or therapist’s appointment for treatment in this system.

They system automatically accepts and sees when a diagnosis type appointment is attended, and approves the expense… but not a treatment type appointment.

WHY? If the appointment is in the exact same location, with the exact same provider – why then do I need to (apparently) print out a doctor’s note like I’m in grade school to prove I attended the appointment?

Obviously, a veteran is not writing this article! After 38 years using the VA for care, we have had good and bad travel pay systems. The best working system was the Kiosk. Its only weakness was a two-step process. First having to check-in then request travel pay.
An optimal system would be to integrate travel pay with our medical appointments or if you don’t trust veterans to do their best to be honorable bring back the Kiosk.

I’ve been accused of abuse of the new online system when contacting the gatekeeper for SEA. He said I summitted too many claims for the same appointment. Okay guilty because I keep clicking submit while attempting to navigate its pages and steps. Never got reimbursed!

Why not have a single page that has all our appointments and home address so we only need to click a box? This could be a simple question in the appointment check-in process

The current system, as many have commented, is an arcane outdated design that would be better with a community vision of its intended use. Why is there not a focal (veteran uses and designers) group engaged in planning a better system?

The iPhone App doesn’t work, even the people at the travel desk say it doesn’t work since it logs you out and you have to enter UID and PW every time. Who can memorize all their UID’s and a secure password for every account? Why not use Face ID?

Reverting back to paper isn’t where we should be. The only way I can earn reimbursement is by filling out the form and giving that paper to the travel office at the VA hospital. I’ve never been able to get reimbursed for Community Care at other facilities. The current system is broken!

So WHY doesn’t the VA reimburse our volunteer drivers in the DAV van when WE take them to the appointment, instead, and have to use our own cars (POV) to pick up the DAV van? That mileage should be reimbursed at the same rates. In my own case, I have to drive 28 miles to pick up the DAV van for each veteran’s appointment. Many of these veterans are so ill that they cannot drive themselves. We volunteers are, after all, doing a service for free that the VA should be doing.

I’ve tried the online system to file and it has worked for me except when I have a community care appointment outside of the VA. For example I had to have two root canals both times I had to Uber there and my son pick me up after. The Uber was $30 each time and I can’t file online because the appointment doesn’t show up. Please fix it so I can file my community care appointments reimbursement. Thank you

Why can we not go back to the touch screen system with our VA health cards ? It was scan card , enter birth date , yes that’s me , requesting travel , and done . This system was up and running , You checked in for Appointments and did not f need staff to check you in . Seems Very hard the system that we have to use now and most who use new system takes too much time and too many steps and needs direct link

why when i go to tyler va and sbmit a travel request via btsss system i get approved and paid in about a week , when i go to the dallas va ( regularly due to cancer ) and submit a claim in the same fashion it get’s thrown into manual review for a couple months . i’m on ssi and most times have to borrow money for fuel to make these many trips ??? Thank You

Never had a BTSSS approved yet. Had a paper claim denied because it was kicked back because claim’s wanted me to us BTSSS.
I find it next to impossible to excess, tired to link my back several times for DD. My claim statuses are either denied or incomplete.
VA was us to use BTSSS, then may it easy for us to use.

So funny. When in Reno, we had a kiosk and I could claim in less than 30 seconds for travel. I move to Phoenix and there is a Kiosk, but it was usually broken. I guess maintenance technology is challenging here in Arizona. Simply do it Reno style. Now I have to do this new OBSTACLE. Easy? Get a life! NOT EASY. No wonder the Phoenix V A had the biggest scandal that had Veterans dying due to incompetent administrators!

I followed the instructions to a “T” lst year and never received my submitted pay, the system sucks and doesn’t work, please fix it

The travel pay system is really bad-I tried 3 times and still is’nt resolved they keep saying the wrong direct deposit bank I put in the right information and still nothing happens-called the number that was listed still no help-so did’nt get paid for that appointment-definitely should be a easier option-

Using travel reimbursement online has NEVER been user friendly. I have been denied several times because I file and get a message it is incomplete and by the time I either figure it out or get help from travel, I am denied because it went over 30 days.
Speaking 30 days the veteran has 30 days to file a claim and travel can take as long as they want to make payment to the veteran. I have waited several months to get paid, you can check my records.
Some veterans have canceled appt because no money to travel or can’t afford to wait months to get paid.
I have notified patient advocate and no reply, just forwarded it to travel.
I have mental health issues and this this type of stress does not help.
No lip service, just do something to help the veteran.

I as a cancer patient am at the VA quite often and talk to other vets, on of the biggest complaints is travel pay, recently while sitting and waiting at the travel office,
I am 77 , one of the other waiting was a Korean vet,the third was WW2( in his 90s these vets including my self didn’t grow up and understand computer, I have tried to use this to get travel payments, after giving up and trying to flow length of tec.directions, including the beginning of this article I feel stupid! Stop having 20 year old that make up these programs,

Make your web pages with ACTIONABLE and DIRECT LINKS to the stated item of interest. Most VA web pages and website only have circular links that bring you to a different page then to a second or third page which then links you back to the original web page where NONE OF THE PAGES provide ACTIONABLE links to actually perform the desired process. Essentially The VA website always talks about what resources are supposedly available but RARELY provides an actual way to get such resources. Just cut the crap and give us a direct way to get the services that we so desperately need!

I have had trouble with the electronic method of filing a travel claim since it started. I think it’s a terrible system that is in NO way user friendly. I have lost a couple years of travel pay because of it and it really bugs me. They should allow the old tried and proven method so that MANY vets are not excluded.

In 2021 made several required trips for dental care with CCN approval. Was paid mileage for only one, the other 4 or 5 were denied. Was never advised until this year when another CCN approved Doctor appointment mileage was denied, that I needed to get “note from doctor showing proof that visit was completed”. Funny that Optum paid for visit, but I need to provide proof showing I attended appointment! Would have been nice to have this information earlier so I could have been paid mileage for approved visits rather than a denial with no explanation that note required..

The reimbursement system is not as it appears. I have been to Community Care and filed as instructed and never received payment. When I inquired, I was told that a travel clerk had denied the payment period. No further explanation was given.
The VA employs many great wonderful people but there are some who are only there for the 20 year pension. Dead wood.

I am a disabled veteran. Veteran are their own worst enemies. They won’t ask for help, or won’t take the time to find out the answers to hard questions, ( like Travel reimbursement.) Start with finding an advocate at any VA facility. An advocate will advise and direct you to every service available to you. Don’t give up. You have Rights. An Avocate is your answer to everything.

Why does it take so long to get reimbursed for travel when at one time you could get reimbursed the same day?

Unless of course it is the return of equipment for an at home sleep study because that wasn’t covered and neither would have been the third appointment to return to sign the paperwork to verify the second but the fourth to verify the third!

completely useless. never had a problem using machines in various departments. I’ve stopped trying a long time ago. System is far too complicated for reimbursement.

I would like to know who to talk to, aside from the travel department at VA Manila/ Jennifer Moreno.

I was recently informed my husband’s transport to his appts- he has several mental health issues coupled with dialysis treatment, etc, that his transportation was being denied because he can transfer from his scooter/wheelchair to a chair on the transport van. In addition to that I was informed that because of an accounting “glitch”, more like someone want doing their job, we were going to be issued a bill for transportion trips I took my husband to because his transportation was denied the first time a few years back.

I find this egregious, to say the least. Charles in transportation need Tonga e retraining doing for sensitivity, customer service, and how to adequately provide better service members, caregivers, and patients.

The Va makes you fight for EVERYTHING!! Why?! This was earned it’s not being given away freely. Ever since my husband was medically released in 2006 I have had to fight for EVERYTHING!! This is not the American way nor is this right!

I’ve put travel claims last year and this year and I haven’t received anything. Not even a notification. My husband too! VA you guys need to do better.

if only it was that easy,. i never get paid for travel to any community care providers even though i keep all receipts, mileage, file the claim on time, even go so far as to include a copy of the referral / authorization letter, and the newest form of indignity, to have to ask the reception people for a letter stating that i had an appt on whatever date and that i kept said appt. it then has to be signed by the off mgr or dr. i have to do the above to justify my governments expenditure of some $7. to be honest with you i no longer care about comm care travel reimbursement. its not worth the time and trouble to file a claim and repeatedly have them denied.
your article doesnt mention that in order for me to get my full reimbursement for any appts, i have to have had 3 or more va appts in the month. otherwise the travel money is reduced by 50%. its a great way to treat a 100% service connected, 100% diabled viet nam vet. keep your travel money

If I am required to file within 30 days of travel or you deny my claim, what is my recourse if after 30 days since my submission I have not been paid. Fair is fair.

On April 1, 2024, when I got to the place of my appointment, I received a text letting me know that I am at the place of my appointment (I use the VA app for checking my appointments and receive Secure Messaging on MyHealtheVet). I then received a text allowing me to claim my travel. I filled it out and received my travel 2 days later. I guess another way to file for travel.

Reading the comments below, it sounds like some folks are quite unpleased.
My SO is going for an appointment, and was told the mileage would be paid.
I don’t know if they said HOW it would be paid. So, all of this is good to know.
And – thanks, John Thompson, because we will check out those links you left. They could be helpful.

it,s very hard to used btsss

this program is insulting. Its not worth the frustration with the pragmatic website and the $$ amounts alotted for long or short distances just dont it worth Veterans time. You better off writing it off on your taxes. The Kioscs were a step in the right dirextion but of course that went away.

I can not imagine how much money the VA had saved at the expense of the veteran since taking away the self service kiosk to claim travel when at appointments. I personally know that I have literally lost out on thousands. Shame on you VA. Covid might be the reason you got rid of the kiosk, but the millions you are saving on payments is the reason you will not bring them back. Which by the way, we still use a kiosk every time we check into the pharmacy. I guess Covid isn’t a danger there

Nice idea except your BTSSS system does not work correctly. Still won’t let me put in my bank payment information in to complete the transaction.

I must be an exception because I don’t recall ever not getting my reimbursement. It usually shows up in my account within two weeks. I often file it electronically while checking in on the app when I arrive at the VAMC. Sometimes I have to file at the hospital or clinic, but I still receive it within a few weeks.

I have not receive payment for travel in the last six months,,,, When I ask about travel pay I am told it is taking six months or more and would like to know the reason.

This claim process could be made very easy and simple if the veteran could answer a couple more questions while at the kiosk or attendant person station at check in. Please consider this addition to the check in system.

Travel reimbursement is bullsht, as you take a portion to pay from needy veterans to pay for support YOU are supposed to be supplying.

Most complicated setup I’ve ever encountered.
Also my monthly mileage from point A to point B randomly is less than the shortest possible route. There is a bug in how it calculates that mileage.
The more people I talk to the more confused I am.
Been trying to straighten out this glitch since Dec 2023.

Don’t waste your time, they never paid for my scheduled exam or appointments and I am 100% service connected. This is a joke.

It took me over a year to get reimbursed for 3 travel vouchers. When I complained, I was told that they didn’t have the staff to handle the new system. Subsequent vouchers we handled within a week (like they did 2 years ago).

If the VA wanted us to file for travel expenses they would make it easier to file. They have made it so complicated no one wants to fight with it

My last appointment was an hour away. I am going to look into this travel reimbursement program.

The online system does not work
For weeks, i have tried to file online. Go through all the steps. Then get an error.
Tried calling the number that pops up, permanent busy tone.
Tried emailing the email provided, never get a response or resolution.
System does NOT work. And you cannot get *any* help.

The BTTS system could definitely use some work ..

I am a 90% disabled Veteran. Whats said here is not correct. It takes me over 3 months after I submit my claim for travel pay. I am owed over $600. Travel pay when I call Travel reimbursement in Gainesville, Fl they say they have a backlog. I not only one other Veterans I talk to at VFW and America Legion have same problem. Gainesville says their understaffed but training new employees. Us Veterans deserve better. Couple years ago was receiving travel reimbursement in 2 to 3 weeks. Telling Veterans how easy it is to get travel pay is wrong at least in this area need to let them know takes 3 months or more. As a veteran of Vietnam War with Agent Orange I don’t even call Gainesville about this anymore as but what they tell me. Is miss representing or lies .

Filing a travel claim is not at all easy especially for older, less tech savvy veterans. I wonder if that was the purpose in changing the way vets get travel pay. I suspect the government has seen a huge decrease in the amount they pay out in travel pay.

The new travel pay program is so difficult that most veterans are not filing. Is that the propose of the new filing system. I am not computer illiterate but the system is not user friendly. Especially if you are claiming “ community care appointments”. I have had assistance several times and still have problems. I have lost hundreds of dollars and my veteran friends agree with me. Most have given up on trying. There is no way to give input and the advocate and travel pay personnel are frustrated and getting short with the veterans. It is the worst most difficult program I have ever experienced with the VA. Suggestion boxes have been removed and the staff says nothing can be done and refuse to pass on our disappointment and frustration. It needs reform and fixing. Totally unusable and inappropriate. Who will compensate the thousands of veterans for the millions of dollars lost so far. Again is this the intent? Make it so difficult that it can’t be used. We need some one to listen and change the travel pay program to something g useable and efficient.

YOU CANNOT FILE A REIMBURSEMENT AT THE TRAVEL SECTION AT CHARLIE NORWODD VETERANS MEDICAL CENTER UPTOWN OR DOWNTOWN, AUGUSTA, GA. THIS IS ERROEOUS INFORMATION!!

I submitted my travel to see a doctor outside of the VA through Community Care. I just received a letter denying my travel because they claim that there is no order in the VA system, but I have the VA letter showing that I had three days of treatment. The first day of my 45-mile one-way travel to the doctor’s office was paid, but not the next two visits. Then they tell me that I can appeal the decision. If I submitted the VA letter showing my dates for care, why didn’t satisfy the BTSSS reason for payment?

I have been applying for travel pay for sometime now, and have not received any.

On March 4 I had an appointment at the Gainesville VA for an upper GI. I was in no mood to fill out the paperwork and my driver took me home. A couple of days later I tried to fill out the electronic travel endorsement but have not heard from anyone and no deposit. I usually do a paper form and find a box before I leave. Please let me know what I should do, fill out a paper form or wait. Thank you, Joel Seaton

As far as travel pay goes, I have experienced not receiving payments after submitting for travel pay. Also I have heard many veterans say that they do not receive payments after submitting vouchers. Also I am a Traveling Vet and it takes more than a normal turn around time to receive my travel expense reimbursements.

Why is the Northport facility doing away with VA form 10-3542 for travel reimbursement and require all us elderly veterans to use a computer that we are unfamiliar with??

-“If you don’t have direct deposit set up yet, you’ll need to complete a VA-FSC Vendor File Request Form (VA Form 10091)……You can fax your completed form to us at 512-460-5221 or bring it to your local beneficiary travel office.” – VA instructions

That is not true. You do not accept VA Form 10091 via fax at that number. If you fax to that number the VA system generates an email to the email you enter on the form that states the VA doesn’t accept that form vis fax since September 2023. Your info is outdated and many of your VA office people don’t even know it.

How can you have that IMPORTANT step so messed up????

Submit public comments for VHA Veteran/Beneficiary Claim for Reimbursement of Travel Expenses (VA Form 10-3542 and BTSSS) at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-04543

View VHA Information Collection Request at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202402-2900-007

Download VHA “Request for OMB Review and Emergency PRA Clearance Reinstatement of OMB Control No. 2900-0798 (VA Form 10-3542 and BTSSS)” at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/DownloadDocument?objectID=139655800

Download VHA “SUPPORTING STATEMENT A, Veteran/Beneficiary Claim for Reimbursement of Travel Expenses VA Form 10-3542 OMB Control Number 2900-0798” at
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/DownloadDocument?objectID=139655800

VA OIG Report: https://www.vaoig.gov/reports/review/goals-not-met-implementation-beneficiary-travel-self-service-system

BTSSS: https://dvagov-btsss.dynamics365portals.us/

38 USC 111 https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/38/111

38 CFR 70 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/part-70/subpart-A