With an established workers’ compensation claim, you are entitled to mileage reimbursement for your medical treatment. This includes trips to your authorized treating physician(s), physical therapy, and diagnostic testing. Only medical treatment is covered, so mileage to the pharmacy for prescribed medication is not reimbursed. Many people aren’t aware of their entitlement to mileage reimbursement, as the workers’ compensation carrier will not reimburse mileage without a specific request from the injured worker.
The mileage reimbursement rate is currently $0.555 cents a mile. This can really add up, as it is over a dollar for two miles. To obtain mileage reimbursement, you need to send the carrier the dates of your medical treatment, the round trip mileage and where you started and ended (the carriers often check the distance themselves) and the nature of the medical treatment. We suggest making a copy of the documentation you send and give the carrier a month to respond. If after that you didn’t receive the reimbursement, contact the carrier. If you are represented by an attorney, give the mileage reimbursement paperwork to your attorney and let them know if you don’t receive the reimbursement.
I have seen numerous cases where the mileage reimbursement amounts owed has been in the hundreds of dollars or even more!
