A popular kiosk-based system for veterans to file reimbursement claims for travel is returning to Veterans Health Administration facilities.
The VA has paused plans to decommission the kiosks, which let veterans file for reimbursement of travel expenses to VA appointments, with the kiosks set up at most VA hospitals and clinics. The VA began removing them in November 2020 as it rolled out an online- and application-based program, the Beneficiary Travel Self Service System, or BTSSS.
Nearly immediately after BTSSS's introduction, however, veterans had trouble with it, including the online interface and app. VA staff also had difficulties with the system, developing workarounds or using the old system to approve claims.
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According to the VA Office of Inspector General, veterans used the BTSSS for just 49% of all claims through mid-2022. The OIG also found that while the BTSSS was meant to solve claims without human intervention at least 90% of the time, just 17% were automatically decided from February 2021 through July 2022.
In response to a query from Military.com, VA officials said Thursday the kiosks will remain in place, including those reintroduced as a new pilot program after they were removed.
Veterans also will have the option to submit a paper reimbursement form to their local VA medical center or by mail, according to VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes.
"We have solicited for and heard feedback from many veterans who prefer the kiosks, and we are exploring ways that we can meet these specific veteran needs," Hayes said in a statement. "VA is committed to delivering timely, high-quality services to Veterans and VA beneficiaries in ways that meet their needs and are accessible to them. This includes VA travel reimbursement to eligible veterans and caregivers to and from VA authorized appointments.”
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the VA suspended what was a 30-day deadline for filing travel reimbursement claims and later, as it transitioned to BTSSS, began removing the kiosks from Veterans Health Administration facilities.
It’s not clear how many kiosks remain available to veterans and their families.
The VA reinstated the 30-day limit in May 2023, but many veterans did not get the news. With that change and the switch to a largely digital process, many veterans and their caregivers struggled to submit travel claims.
During a conference of military and veterans caregivers hosted by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation on Sept. 24, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, said she appreciated that the VA wanted to make the system "better and more efficient," but actually made it much worse for veterans.
"Sometimes people in their exuberance who try to make things better sometimes make things worse," Miller-Meeks said. "Why the hell didn't they talk to veterans?"
Hayes said the latest versions of the travel reimbursement systems have been crafted with feedback from veterans, and the VA will continue to update and streamline the processes to "enhance veterans experiences when interacting with VA health care and services."
The BTSSS has cost the VA $36 million as of July.
At the Dole Foundation function, veteran caregivers said they were thrilled that the kiosks, which can be used while a veteran is at a facility for a reimbursable appointment, are making a comeback.
"So happy the kiosks are coming back!" wrote an online viewer in an active chat session.
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