Travel and lodging coverage

How travel and lodging coverage works

We’re committed to providing you and your loved ones with the best care. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, we can help cover travel and lodging costs for health care services that aren’t available from our network providers within 50 miles of your permanent residence, up to $5,000 per occurrence. Travel and lodging coverage is available when services cannot be provided within Sharp Health Plan’s Performance Network.

Prior authorization for care is required unless otherwise noted.

Services eligible for travel and lodging coverage

Get travel and lodging coverage for services including, but not limited to:

• Abortion services (no prior authorization needed)
• Bariatric surgery
• Organ and tissue transplants
• Gender-affirming care
• Acute inpatient pediatric care (except direct admission to the neonatal intensive care unit) or specialty inpatient pediatric care (except direct admission to the pediatric intensive care unit)
• Outpatient pediatric hematology and oncology

Medicare members: View your travel and lodging coverage information here.

What’s covered

Travel

• Mileage to and from the facility from the member's residence and/or lodging is covered. Mileage is reimbursed according to the IRS mileage rate.

Lodging

• One double-occupancy room is covered if one or more overnight stays are required to get care.
• Coverage is limited to the room charge and tax. All other hotel expenses are excluded.

Meals

• Three meals per person, per day, are covered.

Traveling with a companion, parents or guardians

• Expenses are covered for one companion.
• If you’re under 18, expenses are covered for two parents or two guardians.

What you pay

You must pay for your transportation, lodging and meals when you are billed. The costs you pay for transportation, lodging and meals do not count toward your maximum out-of-pocket amount.

There is no copay, coinsurance or deductible for travel and lodging coverage up to $5,000 per occurrence.

How to get reimbursed

Reimbursement is effective Jan. 1, 2025 for travel and lodging services provided in 2025. More information is coming soon.

Tax information

You may report certain travel expense reimbursements in your taxes. When required, we will send you a Form 1099-MISC. If you have questions, please contact your tax advisor. We do not provide tax advice.