Health Benefits

Veterans Transportation Service

The Veterans Transportation Service (VTS) provides safe and reliable transportation to Veterans who require assistance traveling to and from VA health care facilities and authorized non-VA health care appointments. VTS also partners with service providers in local communities to serve Veterans’ transportation needs. Partners include:

• Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs)
• Local and national non-profit groups
• Federal, state and local transportation services

Learn more about the VTS program.

Find a VTS location near you.

Beneficiary Travel

The Beneficiary Travel (BT) program reimburses eligible Veterans for costs incurred while traveling to and from VA health care facilities. The BT program may also provide pre-approved transportation solutions and arrange special mode transportation (SMT) at the request of VA. Veterans may be eligible for common carrier transportation (such as bus, taxi, airline or train) under certain conditions.

See if you qualify for Beneficiary Travel.

Payment of Beneficiary Travel

VHA Financial Policy Volume VIII Chapter 2 Bene Travel, Department of Treasury Fiscal Service 31 CFR Part 208 requires beneficiary travel reimbursements paid to the Veteran must be done through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). The Financial Service Center (FSC) has created a web based application that Veterans can use to electronically update, change or add their EFT. Veterans will need to first register with www.id.me to take advantage of the new digital VA Form 10091. ID.ME is a simple and secure identity verification system. Once registered with ID.ME, Veterans can access the digital form through VA's CEP at www.cep.fsc.va.gov/. The PDF/ paper version of VA Form 10091 will still be available at www.va.gov/find-forms/about-form-10091/ and Veterans will still be able to down load and turn into your local VAMC.

Highly Rural Transportation Grants

Highly Rural Transportation Grants (HRTG) provides grants to Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) and State Veteran Service Agencies. The grantees provide transportation services to Veterans seeking VA and Non-VA approved care in highly rural areas. These grants are available in counties that have fewer than seven people per square mile.

Learn more about the HRTG program and VA's grants program.

Special Modes of Transportation Update

VA is changing the rates that we pay for special transportation services – including air ambulance transportation – to better align with the rest of the health care industry while continuing to provide world-class, affordable care to those we serve. According to a report from the Inspector General in 2018, VA had been paying about 60% more than the industry standard (CMS rates) for air ambulance services. To address this discrepancy and be good stewards of taxpayer money, VA undertook rulemaking to change the rates VA pays for air ambulance services. Under the new regulation, VA will pay the lesser of actual charge associated with an air ambulance service, or the standard CMS rate for that service, unless a separate rate has been established based on local contracts between air ambulance providers and local VA medical centers. VA intends to include terms in these contracts to ensure that Veteran care will not be adversely impacted, and that Veterans will not receive bills for these services. More information about these changes can be found here.

These changes were originally slated to become effective on February 16, 2024, but VA is currently developing a rule that will delay the effective date by approximately one year, until February 2025. VA expects the rule delaying the effective date to be published prior to February 16, 2024.