Being a newbe I often wonder where to put some questions and sometimes not even sure how to ask the question I need an answer for I guess that is where you ol salts come into the picture.How do you qualify for travel pay and if you do where do you get it?

If you are 50% service connected you should qualify for travel pay. When you go to an appointment at the VAMC check with the travel window before you leave or call the travel office at the VAMC that you go to and ask if you qualify. It should not be a problem, I think you should qualify but you need to find out before you go to the VAMC again.

After you are setup as 'qualified' in their computer system, each clinic should be able to print out your travel voucher when you are checking in or out, which will save you time. Then you just get in line at the cashier. There are some other requirements like living so many miles from the hospital or clinic. Also, if you go often and have not received and back travel pay, they will only go back 30 days in the system. They will also reduce your payment by $6.00 or $8.00 (can't remember off the top of my head) for their handling/deductible.

I think it would be better to call the VAMC travel office and find out first.

Vync

Some VAMC clinics no longer do this, I know mine doesn't. We had veteran riding a shuttle and collecting travel pay and we had some veterans going to the VAMC and collecting travel pay and did not keep their appointment so now we have to go to our appointment (s) and then straight to the travel window with no voucher. The travel window clerk then call the clinic to make sure that the veteran was seen prior to getting paid travel. I had a CT scan scheduled and when I got to the clinic I was told the doctor was not there and I had to reschedule my CT scan. The travel window would not pay my travel pay. So I went to the patient advocate office and since I was not notified that the doctor would not be there, the CT clinic had to put in the computer that my appointment was canceled by the clinic and I was not notified and I was then paid my travel pay.

Pete's right. A simple phone call to the VAMC travel office might be best.

Here in Birmingham, AL, travel is based on not living in the same county as the facility and also by minimum miles.

What was strange was I used to get it a long time ago when I lived 90 minutes away, then I moved closer to town, only 30 minutes away, too close to qualify. Then one day, a lady at the clinic told me I qualified for travel. I asked why and she said the policies changed. I have been getting travel ever since. Then I had an appointment at a different clinic and the clerk said I was not authorized for travel. I went to the travel office and discussed it. It seems like they too were in the dark. They researched it quickly, apologized, and then told me I do get it. They also said their workdays were suddenly going to get a lot busier. They were very nice about it.

When it comes to travel, be sure to ask for it. If you are lucky, someone might ask you, but they are not required to ask you.