Travel expense reimbursement is a benefit which some injured workers are eligible to receive. The benefit is small, and the rules only allow these benefits in some circumstances. The highlights of these rules follow.

When Do You Get Reimbursement for Travel?

• Medical examinations at department's or self-insurer's request (IME's)
• Vocational services at department's or self-insurer's request
• Fitting of prosthetic device
• With prior authorization, treatment for accepted industrial injury/occupational disease conditions or vocational retraining

How Do You Get Reimbursed?

• Travel Reimbursement Request Form - Your request must be made within one year of the trip and must indicate the date, destination, and reason for travel. Reimbursement Request
• Save Receipts! Receipts are required for all expenses except parking expenses under $10.

What is a Travel Expense?

• Lodging, food, mileage, taxi, parking, tolls, etc.

How Much is Reimbursed?

• Travel expenses will be reimbursed at the current Department rate, subject to the New Travel Rules below.
• Reimbursement is based on the current Domestic Per Diem rates. See http://www.ofm.wa.gov/policy/10.90a.pdf for current rates.
• IME's - Hourly wage at the time of the exam for missed work; meals; hotel expenses; taxi fare; parking costs; and ferry and bridge tolls.

Out of State Injured Workers

• Payment for some travel costs may be considered if travel is pre-approved by your claim manager.

New Travel Rules Pay Less - Effective September 1, 2010 - WAC 296-20-1103, the rules have changed:

• Upon prior authorization for treatment of vocational retraining when worker must travel more than fifteen miles one-way from the worker's home to the nearest point of adequate treatment or vocational retraining.
• Not payable when adequate treatment is available within fifteen miles of injured worker's home, yet the injured worker prefers to report to an attending provider outside the worker's home area.
• When travel expense is authorized the first fifteen miles one-way are not payable. The first and last fifteen miles are not payable on an authorized round trip.

For example, your claim manager approved travel for treatment 45 miles round trip from your home. You will be reimbursed for 15 miles (45 miles minus 30 miles).

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