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Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

  • 1.  Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-24-2022 12:57 PM
    Hi everyone, 

    We received a question from a health center wanting to know more about others' experience with transportation services provided by Medicaid. This health center has run into issues with availability and reliability. We've been told their patients have been stranded without a ride, and that it's common.

    Has your health center experienced this? If so, can you please let me know more about it? ICHCA plans to use this information to advocate on behalf of health centers and to improve the program (fingers crossed!).

    ------------------------------
    Nicole Davis
    Program Manager of Outreach, Enrollment & Communications
    Idaho Community Health Center Association
    ndavis@idahopca.org
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-25-2022 06:03 PM

    We do have this problem at Terry Reilly. We are told often MTM does not pick up on time and many people miss their appointments. Today we had a gentleman get here late for his appointment and had to reschedule. I was asked last week to order a Lyft ride for a patient due to her waiting out front for about an hour for MTM to show up.

    A few months ago we had to reschedule a social security disability appointment three times due to MTM not picking the patient up. We ended up just using Lyft to take him.  

     




    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-26-2022 10:01 AM

    We have seen this issue at Healthwest as we have many patients and specialty clinics. We also see  patients from Blackfoot and Idaho Falls . Our patients in these areas live on limited income and does not have dependable transportation. The transportation for these areas does not show up and there is no way they can afford a cab or uber.

     

    Donna Barton

    Enrollment Specialist

    dbarton@healthwestinc.org

    (208)234-4700 ext. 1710

    Fax: (844)4929736

     




    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-26-2022 10:07 AM
    We have issues with MTM when it comes to reimbursing Medicaid patients who drive themselves. We've also had issues with MTM transportation. Our people, especially our elderly, don't like calling to schedule rides. And they don't like having to wait on the phone either. Thankfully, we have a local organization that provides Medicaid transportation. I caution our patients to call, or go online, well in advance of their appointment so they an be assured of a ride. I recommend to our tech savvy patients that they use the MTM cell phone app to keep track of their ride.  Finally, if they have an issue or need help scheduling, I tell them to contact me. 

    Rose Cheff
    Community Health Worker

    Phone: 208-879-4351
    Fax: 208-879-5216
    Challis Area Health Center
    611 Clinic Rd | Challis, ID 83226
    www.cahcinc.com
     
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  • 5.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-26-2022 10:44 AM
    Yup, MTM is not keeping their end of the bargain in my experience.  Same as everyone else already mentioned.  Late, not-reliable, stranded, etc.

    In my opionion, MTN's contract needs to be seriously re-evaluated.
        
          
      Becky J. Crapo, BSHE
         Certified Enrollment Counselor
    Outreach & Enrollment, Marketing & Public 
             Relations, Credentialing
             becky@grandpeaks.org
               DID: (208) 624-8018
              Clinic: (208) 356-4900
     



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  • 6.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-26-2022 10:56 AM
    This has been an issue with our patients as well. We have a position designated to set up transportation. When appointments are made, we include the transport team for the patients that need assistance. What we've found is that patients in rural areas, end up not getting picked up. I've called MTM a couple of times to make sure that the ride was scheduled and that it had been assigned to a ride share driver. Even with the ride being scheduled with MTM, they don't always have an assigned driver. When this specific situation happened, I asked the MTM representative if they planned on calling our clinic to let us know that they didn't have a ride - with it being the day before the appointment. I was told their procedures didn't include calling anyone to inform that the patient didn't have a ride. I ended up getting a taxi for this patient.

    ------------------------------
    Dalia Chadwick [Designation]
    Outreach and Enrollment
    [City] [State]
    [Phone]
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-26-2022 09:40 AM
    This is a chronic issue in Priest River as well. I have found that I need to call MTM the morning of these scheduled rides to confirm they have scheduled transport available. It has been discouraging to the patients and they have grown to not trust MTM services. 

    --
    ~Jillian Brunn, RN
    Care Manager

    Kaniksu Community Health

    Phone 208-265-6262 ext. 5055

    Fax 208-448-1317

    www.kchnorthidaho.org

     

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  • 8.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-26-2022 05:02 PM
    This is some feedback from Family Health Services staff on this issue: "Multiple patients that have been scheduled through OE services, the biggest complaint we get is that they don't show up, they run late, or they don't have drivers to accommodate the request. Patients get scheduled, but if no one is able to pick up the shift to pick up the patient, no one is notifying the patient. We have limited options to non for Medicaid transportation especially for wheelchair bound patients. Uber or lyft/ taxi is an option, but only if we advocate for it." 
    Stephanie Hunzeker

    Grant Specialist

    Family Health Services

    (208) 737-6705 or (208) 539-1274

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  • 9.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-26-2022 05:12 PM
    Yes, I have come across several issues with Medicaid Transporation, drivers will not return at times after bringing patients to the clinic for their scheduled appt's, Transportation services will not notify patients when they are unable to accommodate a ride. We have actually had a driver taking a patient to Boise for a surgery a while back and once the driver got to Jerome they turned around and brought the patient back to Twin Falls stating they could not do the drive because they weren't getting paid enough. I could go on. 


    Maribel Trejo
    Family Health Services
    Outreach and Enrollment
    Certified SHIBA Counselor
    Your Health Idaho Consumer Connector
    208)650-7954



    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-27-2022 12:35 PM
    We too are having some transportation issues with MTM. After talking with a few of our Nurse Care Management team members, I was given examples of patients who made appropriate arrangements with the MTM contracted drivers only to be left stranded or notified so late (the day of) that they cannot reschedule a ride. These have been very crucial appointments that the patient cannot afford to miss. Having to reschedule an appointment is an inconvenience for not only the patient but the provider as well. I hope a solution can be discovered fairly soon.

    Many thanks for reaching out,

    Kimberley McCoy

    Patient Assistance Manager

    Kaniksu Community Health formerly Kaniksu Health Services

    Phone 208-263-7101 ext. 5028

    Fax 208-263-7198

    www.kchnorthidaho.org



    Please note that Kaniksu Health Services has changed its name to Kaniksu Community Health. 

    My new email address is kmccoy@kchni.org


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  • 11.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-27-2022 02:19 PM
    We have had issues with drivers returning our calls to schedule patients.  We also only have one carrier that provides transportation, so should they go out of business, we would not have any options available for our patients.

    ------------------------------
    Aimee Zimmer, MBA-HCM
    Chief Operating Officer
    Grand Peaks Medical, Pharmacy, Dental, Behavioral Health
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-27-2022 06:30 PM
    The Terry Reilly team have reported numerous issues with MTM.  They will not/are unable to return and take a patient home.  The lack of reliability has forced Terry Reilly to pay for transportation for Medicaid beneficiaries (a covered benefit) which is an unreimbursed cost and is not always a viable solution to help patients because in the rural areas it is difficult to find 3rd party transportation.

    ------------------------------
    Kirsten Szabo
    Terry Reilly Health Services
    211 16th Avenue North
    Nampa, ID 83687
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-28-2022 08:40 AM

    Good Morning All,

     

    I have received a couple of negative complaints regarding MTM where a patient needed transportation in Glenn's Ferry for a physical therapy appointment 5 days a week and they were told by the MTM contract driver that they didn't get paid enough to do that type of transport. One individual said that the MTM contract driver gave them their personal business card and told the patient to call them directly and not to call MTM. 

     

    We do Specialty Care Transports on the first and third Tuesday of each month to Boise and Meridian and when schedule that has helped a lot. Most of our patients needing transportation are given an MTM brochure with  contact information for scheduling rides with them, in other situations where patients need a ride in Mountain Home to the clinic, we have contracted with a local service to do the transports. Interestingly enough, this prepaid transport service has only been used once in the year and a half since we offered it as an option.

     

    Honestly, transportation to appointments is a challenge and often times even when we offer a transport the rider says they appreciated it but its not always convenient for them, especially if they have to schedule the ride, ie with MTM or another service offered.

     

    Like in this discussion group I would like to see us continue to share our experience discussing what works and suggestions for how the process with MTM can be improved. Maybe have

    Ron Dunbar, Idaho Program Director for MTM, meet with us to discuss the significant needs that we have and hear his thoughts on how it can be improved.

     

    Thank You,

    Rick Viola

     

     




    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Issues with Medicaid Transportation Services?

    Posted 10-28-2022 08:55 AM

    HI Rick and IPCA, Chris Green here with Heritage Health in Coeur d'Alene.

     

    Our CM Morgen Buck (included on this email) has had a lot of experience in dealing with MTM issues and navigating difficulties. I would consider her an expert in this area (at least within our agency which utilizes MTM dozens if not hundreds of times a week). I feel she would be a great asset to this ongoing conversation and the work you are doing (if she has time).

     

    I wanted to make the introduction.

     

    Have a great weekend. CG

     

     

    Chris Green, LCSW

    ACT Team Clinician

    Heritage Health - Family Support Services

    ACT Team, 2025 W Park Place, Ste B

    208-292-0358 (P) Ext 3702

    208-620-3991 (F)

     

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