How is a HHA reimbursed for milage?

Specialties Home Health

Published

I see Nurses here getting milage reimbursements of $0.56 and more to others getting nothing for milage and then others getting all kinds of things in between.

The HHA I work at tosses $5 at you for each 25 miles you drive (after the first 25 miles).

Does anyone know how a HHA is reimbursed for milage from insurance?

Do they bill Medicare/Private Insurance for this in some way or is it just part of the pricing? I'm just wondering how some places can pay for milage and others don't do it all.

Are the non-paying Agencies just pocketing milage money that should be going to an employee?

I<3H2O, BSN, RN

300 Posts

Specializes in Home Health.

I do not believe that agencies are reimbursed specifically for mileage. If they don't pay mileage, then they probably have to pay drive time and it is probably cheaper to pay mileage?

JustBeachyNurse, LPN

13,952 Posts

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Agencies are not reimbursed for mileage by insurance/Medicare/Medicaid for nurses or HHA. It's considered cost of doing business. So they aren't pocketing anything.

Mileage reimbursement ( or tax deduction) would be between cases. So you have to have multiple visits in a single day. Home to your first case would not be reimbursed/deductible as it's the equivalent of driving to work. The mileage between your first and second, second to third would be reimbursable (assuming you did 3 cases per day). Mileage between case 3 and home is "drive home" and not reimbursable/deductible.

In my area most HHA do one case per day, two at most. The mileage between the two cases would be reimbursable if you go from case 1 to case 2 directly. If you go home in between (such as case 1 ends at noon and you don't have to be at case 2 (30 miles away) until 2pm mileage is often not paid.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

An alternate way to compute mileage which some people use: obtain the mileage from your house to your office. That is the mileage used to "go to your job". Then subtract that same amount from the total amount you drive on each day. This makes it fair when your first client is, say, 46 miles from your house and your house is only 3 miles from your office. This method is also substantiated because you could choose, (or be required), to visit your office first before starting the day, and/or visit the office at the end of the day before returning home.

KelRN215, BSN, RN

1 Article; 7,349 Posts

Specializes in Pedi.

Home Health Agencies are NOT reimbursed by insurance companies for employees' mileage. And they are not required to reimburse their employees for mileage. Doing so is a benefit.

Per federal guidelines, any miles driven for work once you are at work are reimbursable and the time spent driving is working time. My agency pays me $0.40 per mile. Federal reimbursement is $0.56 per mile, so I take the difference on my taxes.

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