“Bringing Claims Support to the Heartland: VA Oklahoma City Travels to Rural Clinics”

Commencing on January 21st at the Shawnee VA Outpatient Clinic, a representative will be present to aid Veterans with their travel claims and address inquiries. This Travel Claims representative will assist Veterans in completing travel claims, using the Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS), and responding to any travel-related questions (e.g., eligibility, transportation coordination, travel reimbursement, etc.)

The representative is planned to be at the subsequent clinics on these dates:

• Shawnee VA Clinic: January 21, 2025 from 8am to 4:30pm.
• Enid VA Clinic: January 22, 2025 from 8am to 4:30pm.
• Ada VA Clinic: January 23, 2025 from 8am to 3:30pm.
• North OKC VA Clinic: January 24, 2025 from 8am to 4:30pm.
• Stillwater VA Clinic: January 29, 2025 from 8am to 4:30pm.

“The Veterans Transportation Program has initiated CBOC visits to assist veterans at CBOC locations where we unfortunately lack a permanent transportation assistant, particularly in our rural areas,” stated TaKeshia Hunter, Supervisor Mobility Transportation Specialist at the OKC VA Healthcare System. “Our aim is to reach each CBOC at least 1-2 times per month to offer support to all Veterans within the Oklahoma City VA Healthcare System.”

OKC VA HCS encourages the submission of all travel claims through the online Benefits Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS) to ensure that processing occurs in a timely fashion.

“We urge Veterans to utilize the Beneficiary Travel Self-Service System (BTSSS) for submitting their travel claims, as payments are generally received within 21 days for electronic filings, while paper submissions usually take up to sixty days for payment. Transportation Assistants are available to help with BTSSS both in-person and via telephone by calling Beneficiary Travel at 405-456-5520 or Veterans Transportation Services at 405-456-5401,” Hunter added.

February visits to the rural VA clinics have already been arranged.

Veterans should keep an eye on the OKC VA Healthcare System’s social media platforms for notifications regarding the schedule and locations for those upcoming visits, along with operational updates about the medical center and outpatient clinics.