Mileage reimbursement for Veterans going up

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced that eligible veterans will see an increase in the mileage reimbursement they receive for travel to VA facilities for medical care.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake said that he is raising the mileage reimbursement from 28.5 cents per mile to 41.5 cents per mile for all eligible veterans.

"We owe it to our veterans to give them the best care possible," said Dr. Peake. "The increase will once again provide assistance to our veterans, especially in these difficult economic times, to help offset gasoline costs and to assist veterans with access to the VA's world-class health system."

Congress, which mandates such increases, recently provided funding to VA to increase the reimbursement rate, which went into effect on Nov. 17. Service connected veterans, veterans receiving VA pensions, and veterans with low incomes are eligible for the reimbursement.

While increasing the payment, the current deductible amounts applied to certain mileage reimbursements will remain frozen at $7.77 for a one-way trip, $15.54 for a round trip, and capped at a maximum of $46.62 per calendar month. On Jan. 9, the deductibles will decrease to $3 for a one-way trip, $6 for a round trip, with a maximum of $16 per calendar month. Deductibles can be waived if they cause a financial hardship to the veteran.