Transportation Innovation for Medicaid Managed Care Members

By Rachel Smith, HCDI Chief Program Officer

Having reliable transportation is essential to sustaining one’s own health and overall well-being. Identified as a critical social determinant of health barrier for vulnerable, at-risk populations, transportation impacts access to employment, social connections, education, nutritious food and healthcare services.

Did you know transportation is the leading cause of patient no-shows for medical appointments? An estimated 3.6 million people nationwide are missing or delaying medical care because they lack transportation, according to the American Hospital Association (AHA).  Missed appointments often results in escalated medical care costs, delayed care, increased emergency room utilization, and poorer health outcomes for the disadvantaged.

To support transportation access for Medicaid members, the federally funded Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) program enables health plans to contract with transportation vendors. These vendors manage fleets of subcontractors, who may also double as Lyft or Uber drivers. The goal is for these drivers to ensure Medicaid members arrive at their doctor appointments but may fall short of providing timely service back home. This can result in a formal grievance from the member, activating a performance improvement plan for various transportation contractors.

An Innovative Approach to Improve Transportation Services

HCD International offers an innovative learning approach to improve vendor performance for large fleets of drivers in managed care organizations. Through a series of learning modules, HCDI can provide health education to your transportation subcontractors in a customized virtual or live webinar format. By providing mandatory health education to drivers, it allows transportation subcontractors to fully understand their role in the whole continuum of care and help achieve improved health outcomes and Medicaid members’ well-being.

The Benefits of Reliable Transportation

When HCDI helps health plans strategize in the provision of quality transportation services, such as offering health education to vendors, Medicaid members have:

1. Increased Access to Healthcare: Lack of transportation is a significant barrier to accessing healthcare for many people, particularly those living in rural or low-income areas. Providing transportation can help overcome this barrier and improve access to healthcare services, such as regular doctor visits, check-ups, and follow-up appointments.
2. Improved Health Outcomes: Regular access to healthcare can lead to better health outcomes, such as improved management of chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. With transportation provided, Medicaid health plan members are more likely to attend their appointments and receive necessary treatments, which can result in better health outcomes.
3. Increased Preventive Care: Transportation can also encourage Medicaid health plan members to seek preventive care services like vaccinations, cancer screenings, and health education programs. Regular preventive care can help detect health problems early and prevent serious illnesses from developing.
4. Reduced Hospitalizations: When Medicaid health plan members have access to transportation, they are less likely to delay or miss important medical appointments, leading to fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
5. Increased Cost Savings: By reducing emergency room visits and hospitalizations, transportation assistance can help lower healthcare costs for both the Medicaid health plan members and the healthcare system.

To learn more about HCDI’s innovative solutions for improving transportation services, visit www.hcdi.com or contact us at info@hcdi.com.