# VA Beneficiary Travel in 2027: Who Qualifies, What It Pays, and Where Ride Companies Fit

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/guides/va-beneficiary-travel/ · Updated 2026-09-30

VA beneficiary travel is the VA benefit that pays eligible veterans' costs of getting to VA care or VA-approved community care. As of September 2026 it pays 41.5 cents a mile minus a small deductible, preapproved bus, taxi, or rideshare fares, and the full cost of preapproved wheelchair van, stretcher, or ambulance rides. VA buys nearly all its wheelchair and stretcher van rides under contract.

- Beneficiary travel pays the veteran for most trips. Only special mode rides, such as wheelchair vans and stretchers, are usually paid to the ride company.
- A veteran qualifies through a service-connected condition, a rating of 30 percent or more, a VA pension, low income, or a claim exam, and the trip must be to VA or VA-approved care.
- As of September 2026, mileage pays 41.5 cents a mile minus $3 each way, and the deductible stops once it reaches $18 in a month.
- Taxi, rideshare, and special mode rides need VA approval before the trip, and claims are due within 30 days.
- VA's volunteer drivers carry only riders who can get in and out without help, so wheelchair, stretcher, and hands-on rides are where ride companies fit.

When a veteran calls for a ride to a VA clinic, they may expect VA to pay you. Usually it will not, at least not directly. VA's beneficiary travel benefit mostly pays veterans back for their own travel costs. The main exception is special mode rides in wheelchair vans, stretcher vans, and ambulances, which VA buys from ride companies. Knowing the rules lets you tell a caller in one minute whether VA will cover the trip and who has to ask first.

## What VA beneficiary travel pays for

Beneficiary travel comes from 38 U.S.C. 111 and the rules in [38 CFR part 70](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/chapter-I/part-70). It covers travel to a VA facility, or to a non-VA provider where VA approved the care. Here is what it pays as of September 2026:

| How the veteran travels | Approval first? | What VA pays | Who VA pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| A private car, not a rental | No | 41.5 cents a mile, door to door, minus the deductible | The veteran |
| Parking, and bridge, road, and tunnel tolls | No | The actual cost, with receipts | The veteran |
| Bus, train, subway, light rail, ferry, taxi, rideshare, or plane | Yes | The actual cost of the most economical option, capped at what mileage would pay unless VA finds otherwise | The veteran |
| Meals and lodging on an overnight trip | Yes | Actual cost, up to 50 percent of the federal employee rate | The veteran |
| Special mode: ambulance, ambulette, wheelchair van, or another vehicle designed for disabled riders | Yes, unless it was an emergency | The actual cost, with no deductible | Usually the ride company, most often under a VA contract |
| VA's own vans, volunteer drivers, or a highly rural grant program | Request the ride | Nothing. The ride is free, so there is no claim. | No one |

A few limits shape every claim:

- **Nearest facility.** VA pays for travel to the nearest VA facility that can give the care (38 CFR 70.30(b)). A farther facility needs preapproval and a VA provider's medical reason.
- **Scheduled visits.** VA pays both ways for scheduled appointments and emergencies. For an unscheduled visit it pays only the trip home (70.4(b) and (c)).
- **Direct route.** VA reimburses the most direct and reasonable route, calculated with Bing Maps, and nothing for side stops.
- **Shared cars.** Two veterans, or a veteran and an attendant, in one private car get mileage for one person (70.30(d)).
- **Receipts.** Every expense other than mileage needs a receipt (70.20(a)).

## Who qualifies for VA travel pay

The trip must be for VA care or VA-approved community care. Then at least one of these must be true, per VA's travel pay page (July 24, 2026) and [38 CFR 70.10](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-70.10):

1. **A 30 percent or higher disability rating.** Travel for any condition counts.
2. **Care for a service-connected condition,** at any rating.
3. **A VA pension.**
4. **Income at or below the maximum annual pension rate.** From December 1, 2025, the basic rate is $17,441 a year for a veteran with no dependents and $22,839 with one dependent. It is higher for veterans who qualify for Housebound or Aid and Attendance benefits, and VA adjusts it each year for cost of living.
5. **Unable to afford the trip,** as VA defines it: income at or below the pension rate last year, or a job loss or new disability that will keep this year's income at or below it.
6. **A special reason for the trip:** a scheduled compensation and pension (claim) exam, getting a service dog, or VA-approved transplant care.

Some people other than the veteran qualify too:

| Traveler | When VA pays |
|---|---|
| An attendant | A clinician finds the veteran needs one because of a physical or mental condition (70.10(a)(8)) |
| A family caregiver in VA's caregiver program | Traveling for caregiver training or to support the veteran's care |
| A transplant donor or support person | Travel for VA-approved transplant care |
| Family members | Counseling, training, or mental health services tied to the veteran's care for a service-connected disability, and certain bereavement counseling (70.10(a)(7)) |

Travel pay also depends on money being available. Each fiscal year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs decides whether funds are available for beneficiary travel, and pays under part 70 if they are (70.3).

## The deductible and how it gets waived

VA subtracts a deductible from each one-way trip: $3 each way, or $6 for a round trip. Once a veteran has paid $18 in a calendar month, or six one-way trips, whichever comes first, the rest of that month's travel is paid in full (VHA Directive 1601B.05).

Here is a hypothetical veteran who lives 25 miles from the VA clinic and drives to four appointments in one month:

| Round trip | Miles | Mileage at $0.415 | Deductible | VA pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 | $20.75 | $6.00 | $14.75 |
| 2 | 50 | $20.75 | $6.00 | $14.75 |
| 3 | 50 | $20.75 | $6.00 | $14.75 |
| 4 | 50 | $20.75 | $0.00 | $20.75 |
| **Month** | **200** | **$83.00** | **$18.00** | **$65.00** |

No deductible applies to special mode travel, a scheduled claim exam, or travel by a non-veteran, an attendant, or a donor ([38 CFR 70.31](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-70.31) and the VHA directive). VA must also waive it for severe financial hardship: a veteran who receives a VA pension, or whose income last year, or projected income this year, does not exceed VA's national means test income threshold. A waiver lasts through the end of that calendar year, or until the veteran's income changes enough to end it.

## How veterans file a travel claim

| Way to file | Use it when | Details |
|---|---|---|
| VA.gov | The trip was round trip and started at the address VA has on file | Sign in with ID.me or Login.gov, open past appointments, and file. A mileage-only claim needs no receipts. |
| Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS) | The trip was one way, started somewhere else, or a caregiver is filing | Up to 5 attachments, such as receipts or proof of attendance. Help line 855-574-7292, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. |
| Smartphone check-in | The veteran drove their own car from home and claims mileage only | Available at facilities that offer check-in by phone |
| VA Form 10-3542 | The veteran prefers paper | Mail it or hand it in at the facility where the care happened. The postmark date counts as the filing date. |

The rules that trip veterans up:

- **30 days.** File within 30 calendar days of the trip (38 CFR 70.20(b)). VA says late claims are usually denied.
- **One claim per appointment.**
- **A separate direct deposit.** Travel pay needs its own direct deposit setup, even for veterans who already get other VA payments by deposit.
- **Proof of attendance for community care.** A work or school release note, or a dated document on the provider's letterhead, shows the appointment happened.
- **Approval letters.** For travel to a facility beyond the nearest one, VA's approval letter lists the expenses it will cover.

If a veteran pays your company for a ride, your receipt becomes part of their claim. See the section on private pay rides below.

## Special mode rides: the part VA buys from ride companies

VA defines a special mode of transportation as an ambulance, ambulette, air ambulance, wheelchair van, or other vehicle specially designed to transport disabled persons ([38 CFR 70.2](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-70.2)). A bus, taxi, train, or plane is not special mode, and neither is a private car fitted with adaptive equipment. See [VA special mode transportation](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/va-special-mode-transportation/) for the term in detail.

A special mode ride is covered when all four of these are true, per VA's travel pay page:

1. The veteran is going to VA care or VA-approved community care.
2. The veteran is eligible for travel pay.
3. A VA provider decides the veteran's condition requires an ambulance or specially equipped vehicle. VHA's directive leaves this to a VHA clinician acting within their scope of practice.
4. VA approved the ride in advance, unless it was an emergency.

For planned rides, the veteran talks with their VA health care team first, then requests the ride through VetRide, VA's online ride request service, or through the facility's transportation representative. For an emergency ride without approval, VA asks for a call to 844-724-7842 within 72 hours, and a claim within 30 days of the trip counts as on time (70.20(c)).

VA pays the actual cost of an approved special mode ride, with no deductible (70.30(a)(4) and 70.31(b)). It may pay the ride company directly on satisfactory evidence that the company provided the ride (70.32(b)). Before it pays a vendor's invoice, the facility's business office must confirm the veteran attended the appointment. It must also review invoices from time to time to confirm each veteran was authorized, and block mileage pay for the same appointment (VHA Directive 1601B.05).

Wheelchair and stretcher van work moves almost entirely through contracts. In its rule of February 16, 2023, VA estimated that over 99 percent of its payments to non-ambulance vendors in the special needs transportation and other ambulatory health care industry codes are made under a contract. That rule would also cap what VA pays for special mode rides bought without a contract, but VA has delayed it to February 16, 2029. To compete for this work, see [VA transportation contracts](https://nemtguide.com/guides/va-transportation-contracts/).

## Free rides veterans may use instead

A veteran who rides free has nothing to claim. These programs cost the veteran nothing:

| Program | Who runs it | Who can ride |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Transportation Program (VetRide) | VA medical facilities, in VA vehicles | Veterans enrolled in VA health care, going to VA or VA-authorized appointments. Requests go through VetRide or the facility's transportation representative, and the deadline depends on the facility. |
| Volunteer Transportation Network | VA with veterans service organizations | Riders who can get in and out of the vehicle without the driver's help. A caregiver riding along may need VA authorization. |
| Disabled American Veterans | The veterans organization, in certain areas | Veterans going to VA health appointments where DAV offers rides |
| Highly Rural Transportation Grants | Veterans service organizations and state veterans agencies | Veterans in counties with fewer than seven people per square mile. The rides are free ([38 CFR 17.701 and 17.702](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-17.702)). |

The regulations behind VA's own vans, called the [Veterans Transportation Service](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/veterans-transportation-service/), rank riders when there is not room for everyone: enrolled veterans first, then others. When a facility cannot carry everyone who asks, it must help each person it turns away find another way to get there (38 CFR 70.73(c)).

As of June 17, 2026, VA listed free rural rides in 12 states: Alaska, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. The ride providers on that list include public transit systems, county offices, and senior centers.

## Where your NEMT company fits

| Role | Who pays you | How to start |
|---|---|---|
| VA special mode contractor | VA, under a contract with the medical center | Register in SAM.gov and watch for VA solicitations. See [VA transportation contracts](https://nemtguide.com/guides/va-transportation-contracts/). |
| Subcontractor to a VA contract holder | The contract holder, at your agreed rate | Ask the company that holds your area's VA contract whether it needs coverage for a far corner or extra wheelchair trips |
| Highly rural grant ride provider | The grantee. Grantees may pay subrecipients named in their grant applications (38 CFR 17.703(d)). | Ask the grantee on VA's list for your county whether it contracts out rides |
| Private pay ride the veteran pays for | The veteran, who may claim some of it back | Give a full receipt, and tell the veteran to ask the Beneficiary Travel office for approval before the trip |
| Medicaid or Medicare Advantage ride to non-VA care | The state, broker, or health plan | VA pays only for VA care and VA-approved care. See [who pays for NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/who-pays-for-nemt/) and [Medicare Advantage transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/medicare-advantage-transportation/). |
| Backup when VA's vans are full | Depends on the rider's coverage | Introduce your company to the facility's transportation representative, who must help turned-away riders find other options |

## If a veteran pays you for the ride

A veteran who pays for an ambulatory ride can sometimes get money back, but only within VA's limits. Beneficiary travel pays the actual cost of the most economical common carrier, such as a bus, train, or taxi (38 CFR 70.30(a)(1)). VHA's directive defines a common carrier as a company that offers transportation to the public at set rates and is not a rental vehicle or a special mode. Whether your sedan or van ride counts is VA's decision, and VA's page lists taxi and rideshare rides among the trips that need approval before travel.

The cap matters more than the fare. VA's payment for a common carrier may not exceed what mileage would pay, unless the Chief Business Officer or a designee finds a private car is not reasonably accessible, or a VA clinician finds the common carrier medically necessary ([38 CFR 70.30(a)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-70.30) and VHA Directive 1601B.05).

Take the same veteran who lives 25 miles from the clinic, and a hypothetical $60 round-trip fare:

| Situation | Most VA can pay for the round trip |
|---|---|
| The veteran could drive or be driven | $20.75, what 50 miles of mileage pays, less the deductible |
| VA finds no private car is reasonably accessible, or a clinician finds the ride medically necessary | The $60 fare, if it is the most economical common carrier, less the deductible |

Help the veteran get paid back:

1. **Ask before you book** whether VA approved the ride, or whether the veteran will ask the Beneficiary Travel office first.
2. **Quote a set fare** from your [rate sheet](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-rate-sheet/).
3. **Give a receipt for each trip** with your company name, the date, the pickup and drop-off addresses, the fare, and a note that it was paid.
4. **Remind the veteran of the 30-day deadline** and that each appointment needs its own claim.

Never promise a veteran that VA will pay. And a wheelchair van or stretcher ride the veteran arranges without VA's approval is not covered unless it was an emergency, because special mode needs approval first. For setting prices and taking payment, see [private pay NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/private-pay-nemt/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the VA mileage rate for travel pay in 2026?

As of VA's July 24, 2026 update, VA pays 41.5 cents a mile for approved travel by private car, measured door to door to the nearest facility that can give the care. VA subtracts $3 each way, or $6 per round trip, until the deductibles reach $18 in a month. Veterans with a VA pension or income under VA's limits can have the deductible waived.

### Does VA pay for a wheelchair van to a VA appointment?

Yes, when four things are true: the veteran is going to VA care or VA-approved community care, is eligible for travel pay, a VA provider decides the veteran's condition requires a specially equipped vehicle, and VA approved the ride in advance, unless it was an emergency. VA pays the actual cost with no deductible (38 CFR 70.30 and 70.31).

### How long does a veteran have to file a VA travel claim?

30 calendar days after the trip for travel that did not use a special mode (38 CFR 70.20(b)). VA's page says claims filed later are usually denied and that each appointment needs its own claim. A person who becomes eligible after the trip has 30 days from the date they became eligible (70.20(f)).

### Can VA pay my NEMT company directly for a ride?

VA may pay a person or company other than the veteran on satisfactory evidence that it provided or paid for the travel (38 CFR 70.32(b)). In practice that is special mode work. VA wrote in its February 16, 2023 rule that over 99 percent of its non-ambulance special mode rides are paid under a contract, so a VA contract is the usual way in.

### Does VA travel pay cover community care appointments?

Yes, for care VA approved at a non-VA provider, and the same eligibility rules apply. VA tells veterans to get proof of attendance from the community provider, such as a release note or a dated document on the provider's letterhead. Travel to care VA did not approve is not covered, except in certain emergencies.

### Can VA pay for a caregiver or attendant to ride along?

Yes, in some cases. VA pays for an attendant when a clinician finds the veteran needs one because of a physical or mental condition (38 CFR 70.10(a)(8)), and for family caregivers in VA's caregiver program traveling for training or to support care. Attendants pay no deductible. When the veteran and attendant share one private car, VA pays mileage for one person only.

### Is VA beneficiary travel the same as the VA's free van service?

No. Beneficiary travel pays back travel costs. The Veterans Transportation Program gives free rides in VA-run vehicles, requested through VetRide or the facility's transportation representative, under a separate rule (38 CFR 70.70 to 70.73). A veteran cannot claim both for the same trip, and a free ride leaves nothing to claim.

## Official resources

- [VA: Eligibility and how to file for travel pay](https://www.va.gov/health-care/file-travel-pay-reimbursement/)
- [VA: Mileage rate and reimbursed travel expenses](https://www.va.gov/resources/reimbursed-va-travel-expenses-and-mileage-rate/)
- [VA: How veterans request rides, including special mode](https://www.va.gov/resources/how-to-request-rides-to-va-health-appointments/)
- [VA: Free rides in highly rural counties, by state](https://www.va.gov/resources/transportation-to-va-health-appointments-in-highly-rural-areas/)
- [VA Form 10-3542, paper travel claim](https://www.va.gov/find-forms/about-form-10-3542/)
- [eCFR: 38 CFR part 70, the beneficiary travel rules](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/chapter-I/part-70)