Travel Reimbursement for Medical Specialty Care

The Patient Travel Office assists with non-emergency medical travel authorization and travel reimbursement. To be eligible for reimbursement, all travelers are required to get authorization for travel reimbursement from the IACH Patient Travel Office before the date of specialty care.

Family Members and Retirees: For specialty appointments not available at IACH for locations farther than 100 miles, travel reimbursement maybe authorized.
Active Duty Service Members: Specialty appointment reimbursement is determined by the Commanding General’s Local Commuting Policy. ** Link to the attached.

Patients and Non-Medical Attendants (NMA) are authorized reimbursement for reasonable expenses per the Joint Travel Regulation and local policy.

Prime Travel Benefit

A patient may be eligible for reasonable travel allowances for expenses when referred by PCM for routine non-emergent specialty care appointments.

Eligibility

• Must be enrolled in Tricare Prime.
• Must have Tricare authorization for specialty care appointments.
• Must be empaneled as patient at IACH.
• Active-duty Family Members: appointments must be 75 miles or more (one-way) from Irwin Army Community Hospital.
• Retirees and Dependents: appointments that are 100 miles or more (one-way) from Irwin Army Community Hospital.

For new travelers, the PTO can assist and provide education for DTS entry. The PTO office will not input travel for AD Service Members or Civilian Employees who have reasonable access to DTS – Per JTR.

Tips to Keep in Mind

• When referred by your PCM for a specialty referral, meet with the PTO well in advance of your travel for preapproval. It’s required to have approval prior to travel taking place. – Don’t wait to last minute.
• Urgent Request: Any changes to pre-approved arrangements require the Authorizing Official (AO) Approval – Call PAD afterhours: 785-761-5873 – AO will call you back.
• Documents must be legible and submitted in PDF format.
• Credit card or bank statements are not valid for reimbursement – Per DTMO What is a Valid Receipt?
• All travel accommodation (lodging, airfare, rental car (if approved) must be booked in DTS before travel occurs. – Justification and reservation must be provided, if not reimbursement is limited to Government Rate.
• For travel less than 12 hours, if an appointment is 8:00am or earlier, lodging the night before may be permitted but must be pre-authorized by PTO before travel occurs.
• All travel arrangements must be entered into Defense Travel System - third-party booking agents for travel arrangements are not authorized - i.e. Expedia, Bookinf.com, Priceline Etc.

Active-Duty (AD)

• Active-Duty Soldiers are eligible.
• Must submit documentation of specialty care appointment – PTO will issue validation of appointment memorandum.
• Must submit validation of appointment to unit representative for DTS processing and authorization for travel.
• Travel within the PDS local commuting area may be authorized per JTR, Chapter 2, para 020602 – unit funded.
• For travel less than 12 hours, AD Soldiers are reimbursed mileage only per JTR Chapter 2 (TDY Rules).

DoD/DHA Civilian Employees

• Must meet eligibility requirements.
• Must submit documentation of specialty care appointment – PTO will issue validation of appointment memorandum.
• When assigned as a Non-Medical Attendant (NMA) for a beneficiary, travel less than 12 hours DOD/DHA employees are reimbursed milage only per JTR Chapter 2 (TDY rules).
• A DOD/DHA employee who is also an eligible beneficiary, when a patient gets reimbursed actual expenses requiring paid itemized receipts. 

Chapter 2 (TDY Rules) only applies when serving as an NMA per JTR 033007.

Before Travel (All Travelers)

• To request reimbursement for travel greater than 12 hours (multi-day travel), patients must obtain pre-travel authorization from the PTO prior to departure.
• Air Travel must be entered into DTS prior to 72 hours before departure.

Required documentation to obtain pre-travel authorization:

• Documentation of scheduled specialty care appointment
• TRICARE authorization - can be printed by visiting https://tricare.triwest.com/en/beneficiary/
• Non-Medical Attendant Request (if necessary): requires memorandum from a medical authority that specifies the necessity and identifies the NMA by name.

After Travel (Dependents/Retirees)

To complete a voucher for reimbursement, the traveler must submit the listed documentation within 5 days post appointment:

• Documentation that validates patient attended the appointment (must have specialty providers letterhead and address) – If a memorandum is submitted, it must be signed by medical authority. – Ask for an “After Visit Summary”.
• For inpatient care: documentation that shows dates of admission and discharge.
• PTO validation of eligibility and appointment memorandum.
• Paid itemized receipts for all expenses - Refer to DTMO– What is a Valid Receipt? for requirements.