There are some hospitals and medical providers working with companies to provide rides, and in some cases they are covered by Medicaid and other insurance plans. Here are five things to know:
1. There are partnerships between ride-hailing companies and hospitals around the country; the efforts are currently small but could grow if successful, especially among patients with chronic conditions.
2. Maryland-based MedStar Health struck a partnership with Uber in January. The hospital reminds patients about their appointments and Medicaid patients without access to the Uber app call the hospital’s patient advocates to arrange the ride.
3. The National MedTrans Network will provide non-emergency medical rides for patients in several states and partners with Lyft in New York, California and Nevada.
4. Medicaid will cover transportation for non-emergency medical visits but the reimbursement depends on state rules. Medicare traditionally doesn’t offer coverage, but some private Medicare Advantage plans may.
5. Ten percent to 51 percent of patients report the lack of transportation as a barrier to healthcare access, according to a 2013 analysis, with the studies also showing those who rely on buses are twice as likely to skip appointments than those who use cars.
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