Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services
Travel Reimbursement Program · About this organization
What you get
Up to $90 a night for lodging and $15 per person a day for meals on approved medical trips, plus travel reimbursement.
How to start
Your doctor refers you for specialty care. Arrange travel approval at least seven days ahead, keep receipts, and submit them within 30 days after the appointment.
Good to know
- Lodging and meal reimbursement are subject to published per-night and per-day limits.
- Prior authorization is generally required at least seven days before the appointment.
The details, as published
Kentucky Medicaid reimbursement for approved long-distance medical travel, with prior authorization generally required seven days ahead, lodging capped at $90 per night, meals capped at $15 per person per day, and receipts due within 30 days; official sources conflict between more than 90 miles and at least 90 miles.
What help you may get
Lodging Near Treatment
Travel Reimbursement Program — lodging near treatment
Kentucky Medicaid reimbursement for approved long-distance medical travel, with prior authorization generally required seven days ahead, lodging capped at $90 per night, meals capped at $15 per person per day, and receipts due within 30 days; official sources conflict between more than 90 miles and at least 90 miles.
Amount not published · Per Trip
Can cover
- Food up to $15 per eligible person per day or the actual receipt amount, whichever is less
- Fuel to travel from home to the appointment and return home, based on submitted receipts
- Lodging up to $90 per night per invoice when approved
Does not cover
- Food for the recipient while inpatient
- Fuel purchased after returning home
- Lodging for a caregiver when the recipient is an adult
- Receipts unrelated to the dates of prior-approved travel
- Food reimbursement is up to $15 per eligible person per day or the actual receipt amount, whichever is less.
- Fuel is reimbursed from receipts for the outbound and return trip; no dollar maximum is published.
- Lodging reimbursement is up to $90 per night per invoice.
- The benefit is tied to prior-approved scheduled medical travel.
Meals And Food
Travel Reimbursement Program — meals and food
Kentucky Medicaid reimbursement for approved long-distance medical travel, with prior authorization generally required seven days ahead, lodging capped at $90 per night, meals capped at $15 per person per day, and receipts due within 30 days; official sources conflict between more than 90 miles and at least 90 miles.
Amount not published · Per Trip
Can cover
- Food up to $15 per eligible person per day or the actual receipt amount, whichever is less
- Fuel to travel from home to the appointment and return home, based on submitted receipts
- Lodging up to $90 per night per invoice when approved
Does not cover
- Food for the recipient while inpatient
- Fuel purchased after returning home
- Lodging for a caregiver when the recipient is an adult
- Receipts unrelated to the dates of prior-approved travel
- Food reimbursement is up to $15 per eligible person per day or the actual receipt amount, whichever is less.
- Fuel is reimbursed from receipts for the outbound and return trip; no dollar maximum is published.
- Lodging reimbursement is up to $90 per night per invoice.
- The benefit is tied to prior-approved scheduled medical travel.
Travel And Transportation
Travel Reimbursement Program — travel and transportation
Kentucky Medicaid reimbursement for approved long-distance medical travel, with prior authorization generally required seven days ahead, lodging capped at $90 per night, meals capped at $15 per person per day, and receipts due within 30 days; official sources conflict between more than 90 miles and at least 90 miles.
Amount not published · Per Trip
Can cover
- Food up to $15 per eligible person per day or the actual receipt amount, whichever is less
- Fuel to travel from home to the appointment and return home, based on submitted receipts
- Lodging up to $90 per night per invoice when approved
Does not cover
- Food for the recipient while inpatient
- Fuel purchased after returning home
- Lodging for a caregiver when the recipient is an adult
- Receipts unrelated to the dates of prior-approved travel
- Food reimbursement is up to $15 per eligible person per day or the actual receipt amount, whichever is less.
- Fuel is reimbursed from receipts for the outbound and return trip; no dollar maximum is published.
- Lodging reimbursement is up to $90 per night per invoice.
- The benefit is tied to prior-approved scheduled medical travel.
Check the main eligibility rules
Diagnosis
B-ALL is in scope. A Kentucky Medicaid-enrolled child with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is within the published scope when traveling more than 90 miles to a medically necessary Medicaid-covered oncology appointment with an appropriately credentialed provider.
Age
The program does not publish an age limit.
- No age limit is published; the February 2026 instructions expressly address a recipient’s child and parent or guardian meal reimbursement.
Treatment status
No specific treatment status is published.
- A provider must verify the patient or diagnosis.
- A clinician note may be required for lodging, case by case.
- A primary care physician must refer the recipient to the specialty provider.
- The provider must be credentialed by Kentucky Medicaid and by the recipient’s assigned managed-care organization.
- The recipient must be enrolled in Kentucky Medicaid.
- The Travel Reimbursement Program publishes Medicaid enrollment rather than a separate program income test.
- The recipient must be enrolled in Kentucky Medicaid.
Where you live and where your child is treated
Where your family lives
You must live in: KY.
- The traveler must be a Kentucky Medicaid recipient.
Where your child is treated
Treatment must be connected to: The appointment must be a medically necessary Medicaid-covered service.; The appointment must be with a Kentucky Medicaid-credentialed provider and a provider credentialed with the child’s assigned managed-care organization.; The child must have been referred to the specialty provider by the primary care physician..
- The appointment must be a medically necessary Medicaid-covered service.
- The appointment must be with a Kentucky Medicaid-credentialed provider and a provider credentialed with the child’s assigned managed-care organization.
- The child must have been referred to the specialty provider by the primary care physician.
How to get started
Does a social worker or care team need to start it? Yes. Ask your child’s social worker or care team to begin the request.
Who can start: Caregiver, Parent Or Guardian, Patient, Social Worker
- Confirm that the provider is credentialed by Kentucky Medicaid and the child’s assigned managed-care organization.
- Have a social worker, case worker, parent, or foster parent submit the prior-authorization information at least seven days before the appointment, except for an emergency.
- Keep fuel, lodging, and food receipts that coincide with the approved travel dates.
- Obtain a clinician note if the program requires one for lodging.
- Obtain the primary care physician’s referral to the specialty provider and confirm that the appointment is Medicaid-covered and medically necessary.
- Submit receipts within 30 days after the approved appointment.
Ways to apply or ask
- Email · 502-564-6890 · TravelReimbursementProgram@ky.gov — Email for prior approval at least seven days before the scheduled appointment and for questions.
- Online Portal · Open form or page
- Online Portal · Open form or page
Documents to prepare
- Appointment facility, provider, date, and time information
- Clinician note for lodging when required case by case
- Food receipts when food reimbursement is requested
- Fuel receipts
- Lodging invoice or receipt when lodging reimbursement is requested
- Patient name, date of birth, Social Security number, Medicaid ID, and managed-care organization information
- Primary-care physician referral to the specialty provider
- Prior Authorization Form for Travel Assistance
- Referring primary-care or specialty physician contact information
- Fuel and food are reimbursed from receipts submitted to the Department for Medicaid Services.
- Lodging may be paid by reimbursement after the family pays, or directly to a hotel where the program has a billing arrangement.
Availability and timing
| Program | Active |
|---|---|
| Applications | Open |
| Funding or space | Available |
| Application window | Not Applicable |
| Last checked | Aug 24, 2026 |
- The official member page links February 2026 instructions and a 2026 prior-authorization form and presents the benefit as current.
- Prior authorization is due at least seven days before the appointment, except for emergencies; receipts are due within 30 days after the approved appointment.
- The official rule requires prior authorization at least seven days before the appointment, with an emergency exception.
Limitations and things to confirm
- Lodging and meal reimbursement are subject to published per-night and per-day limits.
- Prior authorization is generally required at least seven days before the appointment.
- Receipts must match the approved travel dates and be submitted within 30 days after the appointment.
- The appointment must be scheduled, medically necessary, Medicaid-covered, and with a properly credentialed provider.
- The recipient must be enrolled in Kentucky Medicaid and travel more than 90 miles from home.
- Does the current distance threshold mean more than 90 miles or at least 90 miles?
Official sources
Program details were last verified Aug 24, 2026. Availability can change, so check the official program before applying.
- Medical Transportation · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Prior Authorization Form for Travel Assistance 2026 · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Travel Reimbursement Instructions 2026 · checked Aug 23, 2026
- Kentucky Children's Health Insurance Program · checked Aug 24, 2026