Accessing and Utilizing Transportation Services

1. Accessing and Utilizing Transportation Services Emily Kim

2. Introduction • Transportation: huge barrier in access to healthcare • Many of our patients at Crossroad do not have access to regular, reliable transportation • Do not own a car • Cannot afford extra bus passes • Are nervous about traveling to unfamiliar areas • Lack of information in clinical and non-clinical resource guides as to how to schedule, handle, or talk to patients about transportation • I myself was not sure of how to schedule transportation even in my second rotation

3. Non-Emergency Transportation • Three types at Crossroad: • Scheduling through the Hamilton County Job and Family Services office (Medicaid) • Scheduling through the patient’s insurance company (Aetna, United, etc.) • Giving the patient bus passes (I believe can be mailed or picked up in person) • How to qualify for Hamilton County Job and Family Services: • Eligible for and in receipt of a regular Medicaid card • Eligible for Medicaid through the spend-down process and have met spend-down obligation in same month of transportation schedule (children, seniors, or disabled/blind) • Spend-down: If your monthly income is say $50 above the cut-off for Medicaid, but you can show that you spend at least $50 on medical bills per month, then the rest will be covered by Medcaid • Be able to transfer from wheelchair to vehicle independently

4. Medicaid • Provides free or low-cost coverage through the government for low-income people, families, children (CHIP), pregnant women, the elderly, and those with disabilities • Mixed federal/state control and funds • Medicaid vs. Medicaid Managed Care • Many patients have plans under Molina, Buckeye Community Health, UnitedHealthcare, CareSource, and Paramount • These are all Medicaid HMOs, or health insurance companies that have contracts with the government to provide Medicaid (AKA- these are still considered Medicaid by transportation services) • Can be difficult to schedule those with Molina, Buckeye, or United at times because they are for-profit, so the reimbursement rates for providers are even lower than typical Medicaid reimbursement (insurance companies will take away some of the provider reimbursement for their profit)

5. Process • 1. If the patient has not used the Job and Family Services office before, the patient must call 513-946-1000 to apply for medical assistance • Can be approved immediately over the phone and can then schedule transportation • 2. Call 513-946-1000 option 6 and then hold OR submit an NET request (calling is easier IMO) • https://www.hcjfs.org/services/medical-assistance/submit-a-transportation-request/ • You must call at least five business days before appointment if appointment is in the same month • If the appointment is the next month, you must call after the 20th of the current month to schedule • Cannot schedule further out • 3. During call: provide SS#, provider’s address, dates and times of appointment, home address, patient phone number • 4. One day prior to trip, call 1-877-722-2285 to confirm your trip • 5. The van will pick the patient up from their place of residence • 6. Call this same number when appointment is finished to be picked up

6. Tips • Two pitfalls: patients don’t have Medicaid or are in wheelchairs and not independent • I have found in my experience that most people who want transportation through their insurance (i.e. Aetna, United) are familiar with the process and usually self-schedule transportation. • In person referrals: Describe process briefly so that they are familiar with the process once it is reiterated on the phone. • Remember to offer scheduling transportation when calling a patient along with scheduling their appointment. • Put that the patient needs transportation in the notes section of the referral calendar so that whoever is making reminder calls can remind the patient of their transportation.

7. Action Plan • Upload this presentation to the Resource Guide • I have created a Word document with the process of obtaining transportation that can be handed out to patients as needed for in-person referrals or letters. • “For current students” section of crossroadhc.org • Document will be uploaded to this website • Can be printed out as needed for in-personal referrals or letters • Train new VIPs in scheduling transportation