VA.gov Modernizes Travel Claims:

For years, Veterans seeking reimbursement for travel to VA medical appointments have faced a frustrating reality: while there were multiple ways to submit a travel claim, there was only one place—BTSSS—to track what happened afterward. Veterans often had no clear explanation for delays, denials, or payment gaps. The Beneficiary Travel Pay team set out to solve this long-standing pain point by redesigning how Veterans monitor their travel pay on VA.gov.

Their solution: start small, focus on what Veterans need most, and deliver an MVP that gives Veterans clarity—a unified Travel Claim Status page on VA.gov.

The Challenge: Fragmented Paths, Unclear Statuses, and the Search for an MVP

The team began its work in late 2023 with a clear vision: deliver a seamless, positive experience for any Veteran or caregiver managing travel reimbursement online. Early research revealed a major gap—Veterans could file claims in multiple ways, but could not monitor those claims on VA.gov, forcing them into BTSSS even if they submitted claims somewhere else. Veterans lacked transparency, especially when a claim was denied or delayed, and had no easy way to understand why a decision was made. 

Identifying the MVP

To determine what to build first, the team used service blueprints and journey diagrams that mapped every step of a simple claim, from an appointment to payment. These revealed a repeated problem: Veterans needed visibility, not new functionality. Status transparency became the anchor point.

The result: the MVP would be a Claim Status page on VA.gov—a single place to monitor travel claims regardless of where submission occurred.