Tester, Baucus Push VA Secretary to Increase Reimbursement Rate . . . Again
Tester, Baucus Push VA Secretary to Increase Reimbursement Rate . . . Again
Senators also urge Secretary to lower deductible disabled veterans must pay
Now that it has been signed into law, Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus today urged the U.S. Secretary of Veterans' Affairs to increase the VA's new mileage reimbursement rate for disabled veterans "at the earliest possible date."
Last month the U.S. Senate again boosted the mileage reimbursement rate for disabled veterans who travel for their health carethis time to 41.5-cents per mile.
After hearing from hundreds of Montana veterans, Tester last year increased the reimbursement rate from 11-cents to 28.5-cents per mile. It was the first increase in 30 years.
In a letter sent today, Tester and Baucus also pushed Secretary James Peake to lower the deductible disabled veterans must pay to qualify for mileage reimbursement. Tester recently authored a measure to lower the deductible from $15.44 to $6 per round trip. President Bush signed that measureand the higher mileage reimbursement rateinto law several weeks ago.
"In a place like Montana, traveling long distances for health care is a fact of life," said Tester, a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. "Making these changes happen is the right thing for the VA to do. Secretary Peake knows Montana and he understands the challenges we have. I look forward to hearing from him soon."
At Tester's invitation, Peake visited Montana earlier this year to tour VA facilities and to host veterans' listening sessions in Billings and at Ft. Harrison.
"I believe service is the most noble of all human endeavors," Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus said. "This reimbursement increase is about doing what's right for folks who have put their lives on the line in service to our country. It will make a difference for veterans across Montana."
Eight other U.S. Senators, from both sides of the aisle, also signed today's letter to Peake.
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