Does Workers' Comp Pay for Travel to My Medical Appointments?

Yes. Under Workers’ Compensation Law §13, the carrier’s obligation to pay for medical care includes the reasonable cost of traveling to and from authorized medical appointments — your treating physician, prescribed physical therapy, authorized diagnostic testing, pharmacy visits for prescriptions, and the IME you’re required to attend. Reimbursement covers mileage at the IRS standard rate in effect for the calendar year, parking, tolls, and public transit fares (subway, bus, commuter rail, taxi when medically necessary). The claimant submits Form C-257 (Claimant’s Record of Travel and Out-of-Pocket Expenses) to the carrier, typically with supporting documentation (parking receipts, transit fare receipts where applicable). Carriers sometimes resist or delay these reimbursements — they’re often small per visit and individually beneath fighting for, but they add up over a long case and the carrier’s obligation is unambiguous.

Mileage, parking, tolls, transit fares — all reimbursable. Submit on Form C-257 and keep the receipts.

TL;DR

• NY WC reimburses mileage at the IRS standard rate for travel to authorized medical appointments.
• Also reimbursable: parking, tolls, public transit fares, and taxi/car service when medically necessary.
• Submit using Form C-257 (Claimant’s Record of Travel and Out-of-Pocket Expenses).
• Includes travel to the carrier’s IME (because you’re required to attend).
• Reimbursements are often small per trip but meaningful over the life of a case — track every visit.

What’s covered

Travel reimbursement under WCL §13 covers reasonable travel costs to and from:

• Your treating physician (and specialist referrals)
• Authorized physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture (whatever is being prescribed)
• Authorized diagnostic testing (MRI, EMG, X-ray, lab work)
• The pharmacy to fill compensable prescriptions
• The carrier’s IME — because attendance is required
• Other reasonably necessary appointments tied to the compensable injury

How reimbursement is calculated

Mileage is reimbursed at the IRS standard mileage rate in effect for the calendar year of travel. The rate changes annually — confirm the current year’s rate before submission.

Parking and tolls are reimbursed at actual cost with receipts.

Public transit is reimbursed at actual cost — keep receipts where possible, or document the fare for unreceipted travel (subway swipes).

Taxi or car service is reimbursable when medically necessary — the claimant can’t drive, can’t navigate public transit due to injury, has mobility restrictions. Document the medical necessity (treating physician note helps).

Form C-257

Submission goes on Form C-257 (Claimant’s Record of Travel and Out-of-Pocket Expenses). The form captures:

• Date of each trip
• Origin and destination
• Purpose (which appointment)
• Mileage (or transit/taxi/parking detail)
• Total reimbursement claimed

Most claimants submit periodically — monthly or quarterly — rather than per trip. Attach receipts.

What I see go wrong

• Claimants don’t know it’s reimbursable and never file. The carrier doesn’t volunteer to pay this; the claimant has to ask.
• No record kept. Without dates and mileage, the reimbursement gets reconstructed badly months later.
• Receipts lost. Parking receipts especially — keep an envelope, photograph each one to your phone.
• Carrier denies without explanation. RFA-1LC requesting an order on reimbursement.
• Long delays in payment. The carrier has obligations on timing; sustained delay is grounds for hearing.

Adds up more than you’d think

A claimant with twice-weekly physical therapy over a year — 100 round trips of 30 miles each, plus parking at $15 a visit — is owed thousands of dollars at the IRS rate. Multiply across multi-year cases and the number is real.

What about lost wages from medical appointments?

That’s a different question. Indemnity benefits during periods of disability cover lost wages broadly. If you’re working light duty and miss hours specifically for medical appointments tied to the compensable injury, partial indemnity may apply for the missed time — separate from the travel reimbursement.

What to do next

If you’ve been attending appointments without submitting C-257s, reconstruct what you can from calendars and explanations of benefits, then start tracking going forward. If the carrier has refused or delayed reimbursement, that’s an enforceable obligation. Contact me directly.

Related pages

• Where Am I? — I’m receiving weekly checks
• Will workers’ comp pay for my surgery?
• Can I choose my own doctor?
• What is an IME and can I refuse one?
• How is AWW calculated?