The senator warned that travel expenses for veterinarians seeking care are short

A top Democratic senator is pushing Veterans Affairs officials to speed up reforms to the department’s travel reimbursement program, saying weaknesses in the system are hurting rural veterans’ finances.

“Veterans and caregivers are contacting my office now more than ever to ask for help with the Consumer Travel Self-Service System, and they express their belief that the VA is preventing veterans from receiving the benefits they deserve,” Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman John Mocari, D-Mont., told VA leadership Wednesday. In his letter.

“Despite improvements and commitment by the VA to address veterans’ concerns, Montana veterans and nationally are not seeing the impact of those efforts.”

Veterans traveling for care at a VA health facility (or non-VA health facility for approved care) may be reimbursed for travel expenses if they have at least a 30% disability rating or meet other financial or medical criteria. Carers may also be eligible for reimbursement under certain circumstances.

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The department currently charges 41.4 cents per mile for authorized travel, along with other costs such as parking and toll fees. For veterans who make long trips to nearby VA medical facilities, the cost of the trip can be a full gas or more.

The VA began electronic filing of travel reimbursement claims in late 2020, but said the expansion has not helped individuals in rural areas and families with the most financial hardship.

“Many veterans, especially those who need financial assistance for travel and transportation to medical appointments, do not have a computer or smart phone,” he wrote.

“The VA also didn’t have an inconsistent Internet access profile — especially in rural areas like Montana where access to reliable and fast Internet and public computers can be a luxury.

In correspondence with Tester last year, VA officials pledged to make Internet-connected tablets and computers accessible at department locations to provide easy access to online file systems.

But public awareness of those options is low, and training for veterans seeking the service is rare, Tester said.

According to the chairman, travel allowance payments to veterans have been reduced by 23 percent from fiscal year 2019 to fiscal year 2021. In-person medical appointments have since declined by 14 percent. same season.

“For many rural veterans who have to drive long distances for care or make every grocery trip and fill up the gas tank; [missing out on travel reimbursements] It means skipping essential medical care,” Tester wrote.

More information about the travel reimbursement program is available on the VA website.