Patients are Relying on Lyft, Uber to Travel Far Distances to Medical Care
Drivers Like Tramaine Carr are Making a Difference
When Lyft driver Tramaine Carr transports seniors and sick patients to hospitals in Atlanta, she feels like both a friend and a social worker.
“When the ride is an hour or an hour and a half of mostly freeway driving, people tend to tell you what they’re going through,” she said.
A Critical Part of the Medical Transportation System
Drivers like Carr have become a critical part of the medical transportation system in Georgia, as well as in Washington, D.C., Mississippi, Arizona, and elsewhere. While some patients use transportation companies solely dedicated to medical rides or nonemergency ambulance rides to get to their appointments, the San Francisco-based ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft are also ferrying people to emergency rooms, kidney dialysis, cancer care, physical therapy, and other medical visits.
Rural Georgians Relying on Uber and Lyft for Medical Care
Rural hospital closures in Georgia have meant people battling cancer and other serious illnesses must now commute two or more hours to treatment facilities in Atlanta, said Bryan Miller, director of psychosocial support services at the Atlanta Cancer Care Foundation, a medical practice offshoot that seeks to alleviate financial burdens for cancer patients and their families.
Frequent Long-Distance Rides
From April 2022 to April 2024, Lyft drivers completed thousands of rides that were greater than 50 miles each way and that began or ended at Atlanta-area medical treatment centers, including the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and Emory University Hospital Midtown, according to Lyft.
Uber Health and Lyft’s Health Care Division
Uber Health global head Zachary Clark declined to provide comparable ridership data. Uber Health is a division of Uber that organizes medical transportation for some Medicaid and Medicare recipients, health care workers, prescription drug delivery, and others seeking reimbursement for medical-related Uber rides, according to Uber’s website.
Lyft also has a health care division, offering programs such as Lyft Assisted and Lyft Concierge to coordinate rides for patients.
Federal and State Investments in Medical Transportation
Nationwide, some insurance companies and cancer treatment centers, plus Medicare Advantage and state Medicaid plans, pay for such ride-hailing services, often with the goal of reducing missed appointments, according to Krisda Chaiyachati, an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania medical school.
Challenges and Solutions
Even with some insurance covering trips or charities offering ride credits, social workers say, many ailing patients are still left without a ride. Nationwide, 21% of adults without access to a vehicle or public transit went without needed medical care in 2022, according to a study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. People who lacked access to a vehicle but had access to public transit were less likely to skip needed care.
The data analytics company Geotab ranked Atlanta as tied for second worst in the nation when it comes to the accessibility of its public transportation network.
Conclusion
While ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft have become a vital lifeline for patients seeking medical care, the industry faces challenges in rural areas where public transportation is limited, and the costs of medical transportation can be a significant burden for many patients. As the need for medical care continues to grow, it is essential to find solutions that address these challenges and ensure that all patients have access to the care they need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How often do drivers like Tramaine Carr transport patients to medical appointments?
A: According to Lyft, drivers like Carr transport thousands of patients to medical treatment centers each year.
Q: How do patients pay for medical transportation?
A: Patients pay for medical transportation through insurance companies, Medicare Advantage and state Medicaid plans, and sometimes charities offer ride credits.
Q: What are the challenges associated with medical transportation?
A: The main challenges are limited access to public transportation, high costs of medical transportation, and a lack of accessible medical facilities in rural areas.
Q: What can be done to address these challenges?
A: Expanding Medicaid, increasing investment in public transportation, and implementing affordable medical transportation options can help address these challenges and ensure all patients have access to the care they need.
