Free shuttle service for seniors takes hit
Santa Cruz Sentinel, March 16, 2007
By Terri Morgan
The Central Coast Alliance for Health, which provides health services for some 85,000 low-income patients in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, is reducing the number of free rides it provides members.
As part of a cost-cutting effort, the nonprofit is trimming non-emergency transportation services to members who do not require ambulance, wheelchair services or rides to dialysis appointments.
The change, which went into effect Thursday in Santa Cruz County and will take effect April 1 in Monterey County, is expected to affect less than 15 percent of previous users, agency officials say. They did not provide exact numbers.
But those affected have other low-cost transportation alternatives, officials say.
The new policy has some, like Watsonville resident Judith Ain, scrambling for other options. Ain, who suffers from Lyme disease, has relied on the free service to get to and from medial appointments for the past two and a half years. She says she won't qualify for transportation under the new policy and getting to and from her health care providers will be problematic, especially since she is on a limited income.
"It'll be very difficult," Ain said. "I may just have to forgo a lot of treatment"
Ain was notified of the change by the agency in a Feb. 26 letter.
The reduction is a cost-cutting measure for the agency, whose transportation costs are four times higher than similar agencies in California, agency officials say. Although the agency insists the change is necessary to remain solvent, officials there understand some members will be unhappy.
"We'll probably see some disappointed members, but we think this is an important thing to do to be around to provide important services for the community," said Alan McKay, executive director for Central Coast Alliance for Health.
Patients who have no other way to get to dialysis will continue to be served. In addition, patients who use wheelchairs will still qualify for rides, as will those who require an ambulance to move them from one care facility to another. However, members who are physically able to use other forms of transportation, and do not meet the state criteria for free rides, will no longer be served.
About 95 percent of the agency's members receive Medi-Cal, with the remainder enrolled in plans offered by Healthy Families, Healthy Kids, or Alliance Care IHSS, which provides in-home health care services.
The agency has an annual operating budget of $230 million and gets the bulk of that money from the state and federal government.
The agency said it spent about $1.7 million last year providing transportation for its members to medical appointments, such as dialysis, and non-emergency ambulance service between care facilities. By coordinating the transportation of dialysis patients to eliminate individual trips, and eliminating transportation services that don't meet state requirements, the agency expects to save about $700,000 a year.
Also, when analyzing their transportation costs, staff members discovered some people were taking advantage of the transportation service. By tightening the regulations, the agency expects to eliminate ineligible riders.
"We found some people were using the rides for quality-of-life activities and that's not something we were funded for," said Barbara Flynn, health services director at Central Coast Alliance for Health.
In making the shift, Central Coast Alliance for Health, which had contracted with Life Line to provide transportation to its patients in Santa Cruz County for many years, entered into an agreement with MV Transportation, which is headquartered in Fairfield, to provide services. Lift Line director Catherine Patterson Valdez said she is concerned that the change will be difficult for clients.
"It will affect a lot of people in our community," she said. "A lot of people can't afford to pay for regular transportation, and a lot live beyond the Metro boundaries. My heart goes out to them"
Patterson Valdez said she is also concerned that the transition will be difficult for patients, who may not realize that they are no longer being served by Lift Line.
Despite the changes in service, low-cost options are available for Central Coast Alliance patients. In Santa Cruz County, Metro ParaCruz service will provide rides for $3 one-way, or $6 round trip. In Monterey County, the MST Rider Program will transport patients for $2.50 one-way.
In addition, staff members at Central Coast Alliance for Health will work with members to provide transportation to those who qualify for it.
"We won't let anybody go high and dry," said Flynn.
Central Coast Alliance for Health members who have questions about their eligibility for non-emergency medical transportation can call the service department at 430-5505.
Contact Terri Morgan at kalexander@santacruzsentinel.com.