"This is something practically all the states we talk to are dealing with. Medicaid nonemergency transportation "is absolutely a national challenge,'' said Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. The two companies maintain, though, that the complaints relate to a tiny percentage of rides provided. The firms, Modivcare and Southeastrans, have also faced complaints, lawsuits and state government fines in Georgia and elsewhere. The two companies that have contracts in Georgia have given extensively to political campaigns of elected officials in the state. It's a lucrative business, with transportation management contracts that can be worth tens of millions of dollars for companies. Transportation brokers - such as Modivcare, which Rockmore used - have subcontracts with local providers, often small "mom and pop" operations, to shuttle patients to and from needed appointments, including for dialysis, adult day care, and mental health and treatment for substance use disorders. States are required to set up transportation to medical appointments for adults, children and people with disabilities in the Medicaid health insurance program. Not only are some shuttle drivers no-shows, but some patients have been injured during rides because their wheelchairs were not properly secured, according to lawsuits filed in Georgia and other states. Rockmore's remarks would no doubt resonate with the Medicaid beneficiaries, relatives and advocacy groups across the country upset about problems patients have getting transportation for medical appointments. "Sometimes they make me feel like they don't care if my child gets to the doctor or not." Many rides have been canceled recently, she said the company told her it couldn't find drivers. "Sometimes they don't ever come," said Rockmore, who doesn't own a car. She said it wasn't the first time she had run into trouble with the Medicaid transportation service. The 4-year-old, who has several severe medical conditions, has insurance coverage from Medicaid, which provides transportation to and from nonemergency medical appointments through private vendors.Īfter being told that a ride would not be available for hours, Rockmore said, she finally gave up and called her sister to drive them home to the South Georgia town of Ashburn, more than 160 miles away. Karisma had been at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to have her gastrostomy tube fixed, Rockmore said. Tranisha Rockmore and her daughter Karisma waited at an Atlanta children's hospital in July for their ride home. But some shuttle drivers never show, or some patients have been injured during rides because their wheelchairs were not properly secured, according to lawsuits. State Medicaid programs sign lucrative deals with transportation companies that are supposed to provide reliable free rides to and from medical care.
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