If you're a home health nurse, your car becomes your second home as you drive from one client's house to another. If you cover a large territory, this can add up to a significant amount of driving and time spent filling your car up at the gas station. Fortunately, most home health agencies reimburse staff for travel time, although the formulas they use to figure out payment and what they pay can vary significantly.
Ask for details on travel time pay before you sign on with a new agency. The money you spend on gas and the wear and tear on your car can have a big impact on your take-home pay, so make sure you understand how reimbursement works. Home health reimbursement often includes a set payment for each visit you make in addition to mileage pay based on the distance traveled. You may receive travel reimbursement in a separate check. In addition to mileage, your company may also reimburse tolls.
Advertisement Article continues below this adMany home health agencies do not pay for travel to and from your first and last clients of the day, unless the distance exceeds a certain amount. The rationale for this is that most people have to drive to work and aren't reimbursed for it. Heartland Home Care, in Iowa, pays for mileage but subtracts the first 15 miles from your office or home, along with the last 15 miles.