Eufaula Veteran Waiting Months For Reimbursement From VA Office

A veteran in Eufaula who is recovering from cancer treatment says he is still waiting for more than a thousand dollars from the Veteran Affairs Office to help with his travel expenses.

US Airforce Veteran Greg Newman took 31 trips to St. Francis in Muskogee for radiation treatment.

The Veterans Affairs travel reimbursement claim he sent after his radiation treatment has been delayed for months.

He hopes he can get his $1,200 soon, especially since his health makes circumstances harder.

"With the inability right now to actually work, I got a 16-pound weight limit, what I can pick up," Newman said. "It's very debilitating, makes things like house payments and electric bills and stuff like that....it makes it really tough.

The Eastern Oklahoma Veterans Affairs Health Care System says in a statement in part, it transitioned to a Beneficiary Travel Self Service System in June 2021, which processes travel claims faster.

They also say they "Are receiving assistance from a national team and hiring additional staff for the manual claims to compensate for the increased claim turnaround time."

Newman says he wasn't aware of the new, faster option when he filed for reimbursement in July.

He says the money would help him tremendously during this tough time.

"The 1,200 dollars would basically pay my bills for the month," Newman said. "You know, that would allow me to get by and survive while I'm unable to work."

Newman says other veterans with the same issues have contacted him.

"The issue isn't just for me, it's for everyone out there who's got a fixed income who's having to pay out to drive several hours to an appointment and back," Newman said.

The VA Travel Office says staff is available to help veterans who choose the new Self-service system during business hours.

For more information, call 1-888-397-8387