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B-203355, FEB 23, 1982

B-203355 Feb 23, 1982
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IN THIS CASE THE AMBULANCE WAS USED TO TAKE THE EMPLOYEE TO THE HOSPITAL. KOPF - AMBULANCE SERVICE EXPENSE: THIS DECISION IS IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FOR AN ADVANCE DECISION CONCERNING PAYMENT OF THE COST OF AMBULANCE SERVICES REQUIRED BY AN AIR FORCE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE HOSPITALIZED EN ROUTE FROM A TEMPORARY DUTY LOCATION TO HIS OFFICIAL DUTY STATION. AS IS EXPLAINED BELOW. THE QUESTION WAS SUBMITTED BY THE ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE OFFICER. WAS TRAVELING FROM SEOUL. ALTHOUGH HIS MEDICAL INSURANCE WILL PAY 75 PERCENT OF THE BILL. IS ENTITLED TO PER DIEM ALLOWANCE AND APPROPRIATE TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES TO HIS "DESIGNATED POST OF DUTY. IN 40 COMP.GEN. 167 (1960) WE CONSIDERED THE SITUATION WHERE AN EMPLOYEE BECAME ILL AND WAS HOSPITALIZED WHILE IN A TRAVEL STATUS AWAY FROM HIS OFFICIAL DUTY STATION AND IT WAS NECESSARY FOR HIM TO RETURN TO HIS HOME BY AMBULANCE.

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B-203355, FEB 23, 1982

DIGEST: THE COST OF AMBULANCE SERVICE TO TAKE AN EMPLOYEE TO A HOSPITAL IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, WHERE HE BECAME ILL EN ROUTE HOME TO WASHINGTON, D. C., FROM A TEMPORARY DUTY STATION MAY NOT BE PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT. WHILE IN CERTAIN CASES AMBULANCE SERVICE NECESSARY TO RETURN AN ILL EMPLOYEE FROM A TEMPORARY DUTY STATION TO HIS HOME MAY BE PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT, IN THIS CASE THE AMBULANCE WAS USED TO TAKE THE EMPLOYEE TO THE HOSPITAL, NOT TO HIS HOME.

EUGENE H. KOPF - AMBULANCE SERVICE EXPENSE:

THIS DECISION IS IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FOR AN ADVANCE DECISION CONCERNING PAYMENT OF THE COST OF AMBULANCE SERVICES REQUIRED BY AN AIR FORCE CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE HOSPITALIZED EN ROUTE FROM A TEMPORARY DUTY LOCATION TO HIS OFFICIAL DUTY STATION. AS IS EXPLAINED BELOW, THE GOVERNMENT MAY NOT PAY FOR THE AMBULANCE SERVICE IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE QUESTION WAS SUBMITTED BY THE ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE OFFICER, 76TH AIR LIFT DIVISION (MAC), BOLLING AIR FORCE BASE, WASHINGTON, D. C. IT HAS BEEN ASSIGNED CONTROL NUMBER 81-14 BY THE PER DIEM, TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE COMMITTEE.

ON DECEMBER 16, 1980, THE EMPLOYEE INVOLVED, MR. EUGENE H. KOPF, WAS TRAVELING FROM SEOUL, KOREA, A TEMPORARY DUTY STATION, TO HIS PERMANENT DUTY STATION IN WASHINGTON, D. C. HE BECAME ILL EN ROUTE IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. DUE TO HIS ILLNESS, HE TRAVELED BY AMBULANCE FROM THE SEATTLE AIRPORT TO RIVERTON GENERAL HOSPITAL NEAR SEATTLE WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL DECEMBER 23, 1980. HE RESUMED HIS TRIP HOME TO THE WASHINGTON, D. C., AREA AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE ON DECEMBER 24, 1980.

THE ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE OFFICER INDICATES THAT MR. KOPF SEEKS PAYMENT FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ENTIRE AMBULANCE BILL, $118.40, ALTHOUGH HIS MEDICAL INSURANCE WILL PAY 75 PERCENT OF THE BILL.

UNDER 5 U.S.C. SEC. 5702(B) AND IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS, AN EMPLOYEE WHO, WHILE TRAVELING ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS AWAY FROM HIS DESIGNATED POST OF DUTY BECOMES INCAPACITATED BY ILLNESS OR INJURY NOT DUE TO HIS OWN MISCONDUCT, IS ENTITLED TO PER DIEM ALLOWANCE AND APPROPRIATE TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES TO HIS "DESIGNATED POST OF DUTY, OR HOME."

IN 40 COMP.GEN. 167 (1960) WE CONSIDERED THE SITUATION WHERE AN EMPLOYEE BECAME ILL AND WAS HOSPITALIZED WHILE IN A TRAVEL STATUS AWAY FROM HIS OFFICIAL DUTY STATION AND IT WAS NECESSARY FOR HIM TO RETURN TO HIS HOME BY AMBULANCE. WE HELD THERE THAT THE EXPENSE OF THE PROPERLY APPROVED AMBULANCE SERVICE TO RETURN THE EMPLOYEE TO HIS DESIGNATED POST OF DUTY IS AN ALLOWABLE TRANSPORTATION EXPENSE. HOWEVER, IN A CASE WHERE AN EMPLOYEE BECAME ILL AT HIS TEMPORARY DUTY STATION AND WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL THERE BY AMBULANCE, WE INDICATED THERE WERE NO REGULATIONS AUTHORIZING PAYMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE AMBULANCE SERVICE. 55 COMP.GEN. 1080 (1976). THE APPARENT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CASES IS THAT IN 40 COMP.GEN. 167 THE AMBULANCE EXPENSE WAS INCURRED TO RETURN THE EMPLOYEE HOME, WHILE IN 55 COMP.GEN. 1080 IT WAS INCURRED TO TAKE THE EMPLOYEE TO THE HOSPITAL.

IN MR. KOPF'S CASE THE AMBULANCE SERVICE WAS USED TO TAKE HIM TO THE HOSPITAL WHEN HE BECAME ILL IN SEATTLE RETURNING FROM HIS TEMPORARY DUTY STATION. IT WAS NOT USED TO RETURN HIM HOME. ONCE HE HAD RECOVERED SUFFICIENTLY, HE WAS RETURNED HOME FROM SEATTLE AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE. THUS, AS WAS THE CASE IN 55 COMP.GEN. 1080, WE KNOW OF NO AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE PAYMENT OF THE AMBULANCE COST IN MR. KOPF'S CASE.

ACCORDINGLY, PAYMENT IS NOT AUTHORIZED ON THE VOUCHER PRESENTED.

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