Today there are many Medicare Advantage healthcare carriers providing transportation services for it’s members.  These services are offered to   chronically ill and senior members.  Most who can’t drive due to medical complications or that they have no other way of transportation. This service guarantees safe and timely transportation services to and from doctors appts and pharmacies for prescription pick up. Transportation services are contracted with several agencies such as Uber and Lyft.

These transportation platforms are known of those who drive and deliver who connect with riders, eaters, and restaurants. In cities where available, one could use an  app to request a ride. When a nearby driver accepts your request, the app displays an estimated time of arrival for the driver heading to your pickup location.  When transportation services are rendered through a healthhcare carrier there is a 3rd party administrator working with the healthcare companies to assure members transportation requests are set up. Once set up the member will receive a notice reminder the night before the requested service from the 3rd party administrator and a message the day of service indicating driver approximate time of arrival along with a picture of the driver, his/her name and their vehicle make model and license plate number provided by Uber or Lyft.    In addition to this information is a provided map indicating a visual of the drivers route to pick up member. This is an  excellent benefit which is an extremely helpful and useful service for the members.  What’s been increasingly happening lately is that once the Uber or Lyft driver has been assigned, this driver will come as far as a block away from the member, place a call to the member to falsely prove communication attempt but will hang up avoiding communication contact  and will park a block away or at the end of the block from member pick up location waiting for the appt arrival pick up time to pass. The driver will then report that member was a no show, cancel the ride and the driver is paid for services even while there was no effort or an actual transportation service ever rendered. Not only is this careless act by the driver Medicare Fraud but is also extremely negligent and abusive to the well being and health of the members seeking ongoing needed medical attention.    I am requesting today to change policy for healthcare companies contracting with transportation  services that payment is only rendered until services are complete. It’s unfair that persons vulnerable and needing medical attention can not meet with dr appointments for the careless actions of drivers simply never showing up and then to receive full payment for a service not rendered. Please join me of changing this policy by signing, sharing or  donating towards  this petition in providing the expected, well needed and deserving transportation services that this population signed up for under their Medicare advantage healthcare providers.

Actual incident:

This is a reminder that Xxxxxx Xxxxx has a one-way ride on Oct 25, 2021, traveling from xxxx E Victoria St to 23600 Telo Xxx

A driver will arrive at 12:29 PM PDT.

To cancel this ride, reply with code: 259134

(Picture of driver map enroute won’t attach)