Reimbursable Expenses for Vendors, Contractors and Consultants
Vendor Reimbursement Policy
Purpose
This is the policy for vendors, contractors, consultants and other third parties (together, "Contractors") whose contract(s) with Main Line Health, Inc. or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates hospitals (the "System") permits reimbursement for expenses incurred in connection with services being performed.
Policy
The applicable contracting entity within the System reimburses its Contractors for certain out-of-pocket costs to the extent that such expenses are contemplated to be reimbursed under the applicable contract, are essential for the performance of the services thereunder, are reasonable in amount, and are properly invoiced. In the case of travel, Contractors must account for the time, place and amount of their expense using invoices acceptable to the System. No travel expenses shall be reimbursed for travel from a Contractor's site or its employee's or consultant's home or office which is located within a 50 miles radius of the applicable contracting MLH entity.
The System will not reimburse the travel expenses for spouses/dependents of any Contractor. Contractors must submit a summary form of all allowable expenses along with itemized original receipts, agenda, and all other pertinent documentation within thirty (30) days following completion of the trip.
Reimbursements for expenses properly incurred and documented in accordance with this policy will be made no less than 45 days after receipt of such documentation and generally when fees or other compensation under the applicable contract are submitted. MLH and its contracting entities shall have no obligation to reimburse Contractors for any expenses which are not submitted to the applicable MLH contracting entity within 60 days after such expense has been incurred.
Procedure
I. Reimbursable travel expenses
Reimbursable expenses include:
A. Lodging – Economical accommodations must be utilized. Reimbursement for lodging will not exceed the normal rate for single occupancy. Room service, mini-fridge, phone calls, internet access, entertainment and the like will not be reimbursed. Corporate rates and other discounts must be utilized whenever possible.
B. Meals – Meals will be reimbursed on the basis of actual and reasonable costs which must be itemized and accompanied by original receipts up to a maximum per day of fifty U.S. dollars ($50.00) inclusive of all tips. Tips in excess of 20 percent shall not be reimbursed. Costs of alcoholic beverages will not be reimbursed. All invoices must show:
- Business Purpose
- Attendees
- Amount
- Location
- Date of expenditure
- Itemized list of specific expenditures (including an itemization of all food and beverages ordered in the case of meals).
C. Air transportation / airport parking – Coach accommodations must be used; No MLH contracting entity will reimburse for first class or business class tickets. Per flight baggage fees up to $25 are reimbursable. Airport parking fees are limited to $12 per day. Rental of an automobile is permitted when other transportation is not available or when its use results in cost savings over other modes of ground transportation. Rental vehicle size should be limited to economy or mid-size. Travelers should take advantage of advance purchase rates and/or airline discounts whenever possible.
D. Metroliner – Only standard coach service is reimbursable.
E. Private automobile – Use of a traveler's automobile will be reimbursed at the current IRS mileage rate. This rate covers all automobile expenses, including gasoline and oil. Reimbursement for two or more persons traveling in the same automobile shall be limited to the mileage reimbursement paid to the driver. Parking and tolls will be reimbursed although receipts are required if the amount is in excess of $5. There will be no reimbursement for violations such as parking tickets, fines for moving violations or vehicle towing charges. Travelers who choose to use their own automobiles will be reimbursed for the actual miles driven. However, where air travel is more appropriate, the amount reimbursed for driving shall not exceed the costs to the coach airfare and ground transportation costs to the destination had air travel been used. The Contractor must attach to its invoice evidence that the reimbursement requested is the lower of driving versus coach airfare.
II. Non-reimbursable travel expenses
Non-reimbursable expenses include, but are not limited to:
A. Any first or business class airfare, rail fees or limousine services
B. Fees for failure to cancel transportation or hotel reservations
C. Additional life and/or travel insurance
D. Fines (parking, traffic violations)
E. Lost or stolen property or tickets
F. Maintenance/repair of personal automobile
G. Alcoholic beverages
H. Movie or video rentals
I. Hotel fitness/spa fees
J. Personal or room telephone charges / internet fees at hotels/cell phone expense
K. Personal items such as toiletries
III. Receipts for travel expenses
Claims for reimbursement of the expenditures listed below must be documented by the original receipted bill or vendor-certified copy of the receipted bill if the expenditure is greater than $5.
A. Accommodations for lodging (i.e., itemized hotel statement).
B. Original detailed receipts and the credit card charge form are required for all meals. There is a maximum established allowance of $50 per day (including tip). A credit card monthly statement is an acceptable form of payment if the itemized meal documentation is provided.
C. Transportation by airline, metroliner coach service, rental automobile, or taxi/shuttle: acceptable itemized documentation including email confirmations, plane/train ticket stubs, and car rental agreements are to include cost and proof of payment.
D. Parking
E. Tolls totaling in excess of $5 on a per day basis
F. Tips totaling in excess of $5 on a per day basis
IV. Miscellaneous
A. For design and engineering firms, the cost of CAD time and use shall not be reimbursed as an expenditure.
V. No mark-ups
The System will not pay any administrative or other charge in addition to the actual cost being reimbursed, and no multipliers shall be applied to actual costs.