Reimbursed

Reimbursed is the past participle of reimburse and can function as an adjective. It denotes that money spent on another party's behalf has been paid back, or that a payer has repaid a recipient for eligible costs. The term is commonly used in business, healthcare, travel, and government programs.

In practice, reimbursement follows a standard workflow. The payee incurs eligible expenses and submits documentation, such as receipts or an expense report. The payer reviews the submission for policy compliance and, if approved, disburses the funds by direct deposit, check, or a prepaid card. Timelines vary by organization and jurisdiction, but wait times range from a few days to several weeks.

Contexts include employee travel reimbursements, medical or insurance reimbursements, and vendor or contractor cost reimbursements. Some programs use advances or per diems to simplify cash flow, with reconciliation performed later when actual expenses are known.

Tax and regulatory considerations: reimbursement for ordinary business expenses that meet policy requirements is generally not taxable income; misclassified or excessive reimbursements may have tax or auditing implications. Recordkeeping and clear policies are important to ensure proper use and to support audits.

Related terms include reimbursement, expense reimbursement, per diem, advance, and claims processing.