Tester Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Boost Travel Reimbursement Benefits for Veterans

Senator continues push to improve travel reimbursement programs for veterans in Montana and rural America

Continuing his push to improve travel reimbursement benefits for veterans in Montana and rural America, Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester is introducing bipartisan legislation to increase the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) reimbursement rate for eligible veterans who travel more than seven miles for VA health care appointments.

The Veterans Medical Mileage Adjustment Act of 2022 would raise the mileage reimbursement rate by four cents to 45.5 cents per mile—reflecting increased transportation costs and mirroring mileage reimbursement increases by the Internal Revenue Services and General Service Administration.

“For Montana veterans living in rural or remote areas, getting to a VA health care appointment can mean driving dozens of miles each way to their nearest facility,” said Chairman Tester. “Increasing the mileage reimbursement rate will ensure VA benefits are keeping pace with rising transportation costs, so veterans can continue accessing their earned care—no matter where they live.”

The VA’s mileage reimbursement program is open to veterans who are rated at 30 percent or more service-connected disabled, those traveling for certain VA appointments or exams, or those with qualifying incomes.

A staunch advocate of protecting veterans’ travel benefits, Tester recently pushed VA Secretary Denis McDonough to make critical improvements to the Department’s Beneficiary Travel reimbursement program for veterans living in rural areas. The Senator is also leading an effort to increase the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and military survivors under his bipartisan Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Act of 2022.

Text of the Veterans Medical Mileage Adjustment Act of 2022 can be found HERE.