Q&a: get reimbursed for travel expenses quicker with btsss | va milwaukee health care | veterans affairs

The Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System allows Veterans to get paid faster for travel costs. Check out the following Q&A to learn more: WHAT IS VA TRAVEL CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT? VA

travel pay reimbursement through the Beneficiary Travel program pays eligible Veterans back for mileage and other authorized travel expenses to and from approved health care appointments.

WHAT IS BTSSS? The Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System is the new, faster way for eligible Veterans to receive reimbursement for their travel expenses. HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M ELIGIBLE? VA

offers two types of travel pay reimbursement: general health care travel and special mode transportation. As a Veteran, you may be eligible for one or both. If you meet the criteria below,

you may be eligible if you: * Have a service-connected rating of 30% or more. * Are traveling for treatment of a service-connected condition. * Receive a VA pension, or your income does not

exceed the maximum annual VA pension. * Are traveling for a scheduled compensation or pension exam. * Have vision impairment, spinal cord injury or disorder, double or multiple amputation,

enrollment in VA Rehab Programs. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BTSSS? * Access 24 hours a day, every day * Fast payments * Direct deposit * Track claims at any time HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM THE

PAPER FORMS AND KIOSKS FORMERLY USED TO FILE TRAVEL CLAIMS? BTSSS is an online, self-reporting system that eliminates delays created by paper forms and the kiosks. An updated profile is

required to file a claim online and to process previously submitted kiosk and paper claims. Filing travel claims electronically with BTSSS and using direct deposit result in the fastest

payment possible. I HAVE NEVER USED BTSSS. HOW DO I DO IT? Visit access.va.gov and select the Veteran Travel Claim Entry icon to get started. You will then be able to choose to log on using

a DS-Logon Level 2 account, with a VA PIV card, with ID.me, or your My HealtheVet credentials.  For more tips and instructions on how to use BTSSS, watch our six-video playlist. DO I HAVE TO

USE BTSSS TO FILE A CLAIM? No. But it is strongly encouraged. Eligible Veterans and caregivers can also file VA Form 10-3542 to request travel reimbursement. IF PAPER CLAIMS ARE AN OPTION,

WHY SHOULD I SWITCH TO BTSSS? BTSSS is strongly encouraged because: * Combining electronic filing with direct deposit is the fastest way to be reimbursed. * BTSSS provides an easy way to

check the status of a travel claim. * BTSSS is a self-adjudicating system, meaning once your account is set up properly and all your information is verified, self-submitting a claim in BTSSS

means within 3-5 days you should be paid, regardless of any paper backlog the Beneficiary Travel Office may be experiencing. * When a Veteran files a paper claim, the Beneficiary Travel

Team must manually load and process that claim in BTSSS for the Veteran.  This takes significantly longer to process this way, leading to substantial backlogs, increasing the wait time to be

paid for all Veterans filing this way. * Logging into BTSSS is easy with any of these three methods -- credentials for ID.me, My HealtheVet, or a Level 2 DS-Logon account. FOR MORE

INFORMATION: TRAVEL PAY: LOG-IN OPTIONS: BTSSS: CALL THE MILWAUKEE VA BENEFICIARY TRAVEL DEPARTMENT AT 414-384-2000, EXT. 42056 FOR MORE INFORMATION. TO SET UP DIRECT DEPOSIT, CALL

414-384-2000, EXT. 42311. For additional help, you can call the Beneficiary Travel toll-free call center at 1-855-574-7292. Hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.