|
VA Watchdog Stuff...
cups, hats, shirts...
click on item to order
and support the site.
Be sure to get all four
VA Watchdog dot Org
RSS feeds --
Daily VA
News Flashes
House CVA
Veterans' News
Senate CVA
Veterans' News
VA Press
Releases
Download your
free copy of the
2008 VA benefits
handbook here...
|
Printer-Friendly Version
VETS TO SEE A BIT MORE VA TRAVEL PAY AS
DEDUCTIBLE
IS LOWERED -- But, the deductible still penalizes
veterans who live far from a VA facility.
No one has ever been able to explain to me why we
have a deductible associated with VA mileage reimbursement (travel pay).
It doesn't make sense. It sounds like some
bureaucrat's way of making work for other bureaucrats... instead of just
paying "X" per mile, VA must deduct "Y" per trip leaving the vet with "Z"
for mileage.
Don't tell us that mileage is "X" and then start
deducting... it is just a penalty.
Why not simplify this? Make it so much a
mile... PERIOD.
More on VA travel pay here...
http://www.yourvabenefits.org/sessea
rch.php?q=mileage&op=and
VA press release
here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/08/
vap08/vap122908-1.htm
Press release below:
Your comments accepted at bottom of
page.
Share story/email link.
-------------------------
Some Veterans to See Another
Travel Reimbursement Increase
December 29, 2008
WASHINGTON – Service-disabled and low-income veterans who are reimbursed
for travel expenses while receiving care at Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) facilities will see an increase in their
 payments
beginning January 9.
A recently passed law allows VA to cut the amount it must withhold from
their mileage reimbursement. The deductible amount will be $3
for each one-way trip and $6 for each round trip --
with a calendar cap of $18, or six one-way trips or three round trips,
whichever comes first. The previous deductible was $7.77 for a one-way
trip, and $15.54 for a round trip, with a calendar cap of $46.62.
“I’m pleased that we can help veterans living far from VA facilities to
access the medical and counseling help they deserve, especially in the
current economic climate,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B.
Peake. “Together with the increased mileage rate approved last month, we
can further reduce the financial hardship some veterans undergo to
 use
our superior health care.”
In November, Peake announced VA’s second increase in the mileage
reimbursement rate during 2008, from 28.5 cents to 41.5 cents a mile.
Service-disabled and low-income veterans are eligible to be reimbursed by
VA for the travel costs of receiving health care or counseling at VA
facilities. Veterans traveling for Compensation and Pension examinations
also qualify for mileage reimbursement. VA can waive deductibles if they
cause financial hardship.
-------------------------
posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
-------------------------
-------------------------
Please post your comments below on Google
Friend Connect. You must sign in. For larger view and work
area, click blue "expand" button in upper right corner of comment box.
-------------------------
Don't forget to read all of today's VA
News Flashes (click here)
Click here to make VA Watchdog dot Org your homepage
(go back to VA Watchdog dot Org Home
Page) |
Military
Medical Malpractice
Legal
Network
VA Watchdog Stuff...
cups, hats, shirts...
click on item to order
and support the site.
|
