| Veterans
News Flash 
VA Increases Travel Reimbursement for Eligible Veterans
January 31, 2008
Peake: Disabled Veterans Earned
Increase
WASHINGTON – Over
a million eligible Veterans will see their mileage
reimbursement more than double starting tomorrow,
for travel to Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) medical facilities.
“This increase helps Veterans -- especially
those living in rural areas -- offset some of the
gasoline costs as they travel to VA’s world-class
health care,” said Secretary of Veterans
Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “Increasing
the mileage reimbursement is one more step by VA
to help Veterans access the health care they deserve.”
The 2008 appropriations act provided funding for
VA to increase the beneficiary travel mileage reimbursement
rate from 11 cents per mile to 28.5 cents per mile.
The increase goes into effect on Feb. 1.
After little more then a month on the job, Secretary
Peake used his authority to establish the first
increase in the mileage reimbursement in 30 years,
fulfilling a pledge he made during his Senate confirmation
hearing last month.
While increasing the payment,
VA, as mandated by law, also equally increased
the deductible amounts applied to certain mileage
reimbursements. The new deductibles are $7.77 for
a one way trip, $15.54 for a round trip, with a
maximum of $46.62 per calendar month. However,
these deductibles can be waived if they cause a
financial hardship to the veteran.
SOURCE: US
Department of Veterans Affair
top
of page | 
