Many seniors have had to make the decision to put off going to annual doctor’s appointments and even receiving their COVID-19 vaccination because they simply had no way of getting there. In response to inadequate transportation for low-income, elderly, and other underserved patients, the ride-sharing company, Lyft, is letting patients schedule non-emergency medical transport (NEMT) on health organizations dime with the launch of Lyft Pass for Healthcare.
“For the first time, eligible patients, health plan members, and Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries can request a ride to and from their medical appointment or other destination via the Lyft app, giving them more flexibility and control over their healthcare journey. The sponsoring healthcare or social services organization still covers the cost of the ride, while having access to built-in controls for budget, location, compliance, and more,” said the ride-share company.
Responding to seniors in need
Millions of patients in the U.S. do not receive medical care simply due to lack of transportation, in addition to the barriers caused by the pandemic. In addition, with ‘no-shows’ contributing to more than $150 billion in annual costs across the entire U.S. health system, Lyft saw the real need to help seniors get to their doctor’s appointments.
A 2019 study in The Journal of mHealth found that a program that provided unlimited Lyft rides to older patients with transportation barriers helped these individuals reach their medical appointments and improved their self-reported quality of life.
In response to the obvious need for transportation, Lyft partnered with top health organizations and coordination services, and integrated with Epic’s electronic health record system, and launched a campaign to provide rides to and from COVID-19 vaccination sites and non-emergency scheduled doctor appointments.
Would you take a Lyft to a medical appointment? Click here to learn more about Lyft Pass for Healthcare or check with your healthcare provider to get yours today.
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