Former service members who meet certain Department of Veterans Affairs eligibility criteria can now submit and track mileage-only travel claims directly from a mobile device using the VA Health and Benefits app. (Department of Veterans Affairs)

Disabled veterans may have an easier time submitting travel claims for their medical care with a recent mobile app update announced by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Eligible veterans can now submit and track mileage-only travel claims directly from a smartphone or mobile device using the VA Health and Benefits mobile app.

The app, which the VA says has more than 1.4 million active users, automatically identifies when a veteran’s appointment may be eligible for mileage reimbursement and displays a prompt on the home screen for action, according to a VA statement Monday.

Veterans who meet certain criteria, such as having a service-connected disability rating of 30% or higher, or who travel for a claim exam, are eligible for reimbursement if they traveled in their own vehicle from their home address to their VA-approved medical appointment.

“We look forward to rolling out many more improvements in the future as we continue to make the department work better for the veterans, families, caregivers and survivors we serve,” Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said in the statement. 

VA efficiency has come under scrutiny from lawmakers and veterans groups in recent years, as the organization has navigated a backlog of health benefits claims that peaked at over 400,000 in January 2024.  

The department said the new feature could reduce the number of paper claim submissions, which can take longer to process.