Combat-Related Special Compensation Travel Benefit

Are you a retired service member?
Were you awarded Combat-Related Special Compensation?

If you answered yes to both of these questions, you may qualify for the combat-related special compensation (CRSC) travel benefit.

What is the CRSC Travel Benefit?

If you have to travel more than 100 miles for specialty care related to your combat-related disability, the CRSC travel benefit reimburses your travel expensesAmounts you pay when traveling to and from your appointment.  This includes costs for gas, meals, tolls, parking, lodging, local transportation, and tickets for public transportation..

How do you qualify for the benefit?

To qualify, you must:

• Get retired, retired retainer or equivalent pay
• Be awarded a CRSC determination letter from your service’s CRSC Board identifying your combat-related disability or disabilities
• Live in the United States
• Be covered by TRICARE Standard and Extra or TRICARE For Life
• Get a referral from your provider for specialty care related to the combat-related disability
• Travel more than 100 miles from your referring provider's office to get the care

Note: If you're enrolled in TRICARE Prime or the US Family Health Plan, you qualify for the TRICARE Prime Travel Benefit, so you won't qualify for the CRSC Travel Benefit.

What can be reimbursed?

Only costs for actual travel expenses such as lodging, fuel (rather than mileage), meals, parking, tolls or other costs associated with getting the specialty care.

• You must use the least costly mode of transportation 
• Government rates are used to estimate the reasonable costs for allowable expenses

Please contact your TRICARE Regional Office for more information about reimbursable expenses and authorization requirements.

Non-Medical Attendants

One non-medical attendant (NMA) may also be reimbursed for travel-related expenses. Your referring provider must verify in writing that an NMA is medically necessary and appropriate to travel with you. The NMA can be a parent, spouse, or other adult family member (age 21 or older) or a legal guardian.

If the NMA is an active duty service member or a U.S. government employee, he or she may be entitled to temporary duty allowances (per diem and mileage) if on travel duty per their organization.