by Brent Follas, Senior National Service Officer
In 2020 the VA Beneficiary Travel Program offers eligible Veterans, caregivers, and other beneficiaries greater peace of mind and ease of submitting travel reimbursement claims through a new online claims reimbursement tool called the Beneficiary Travel Self Service System (BTSSS). Eligible Veterans and caregivers receive mileage reimbursement for travel to and from VA health care, or VA authorized non-VA health care. Veterans and Caregivers can submit claims and supporting documentation for reimbursement of costs incurred from use of a privately-owned vehicle (POV), common carrier, pre-approved meals and/or lodging, and other travel related expenses such as tolls, parking, and luggage. BTSSS implementation began on July 2020 and will be expanded across the country in three subsequent phases through November 2020. With deployment of BTSSS, Veterans can submit, and track beneficiary travel reimbursement claims online from a computer or mobile device 24/7, 365 days a year through the secure, AccessVA website. AccessVA can be accessed at https://access.va.gov/ accessva/, using a DS Logon Level 2 account or VA PIV card to authenticate the identity of the user. A DS Logon is an ID issued by DoD that will allows Veterans and caregivers to access many VA and DoD sites with one user username and password. BTSSS ensures timely processing and payment of travel reimbursements and reduces manual intervention and improper claim payments through automated features and it replaces the kiosk method and reduces the need for completing hard copy claim and in-person claim submissions. For questions, you can visit https://www.va.gov/ health-care/get-reimbursed-for-travel-pay/, reach out to your local VA Travel Department or the Paralyzed Veterans of America National Service Office in your area.