8.19.20 - Lyft claims NEMT program helps Medicaid beneficiary health access
'Rideshare companies have struggled since March as the coronavirus pandemic keeps people indoors. In second quarter earnings, Uber's revenue was down almost 30% year over year to $2.24 billion, while Lyft's was down 61% to $339 million.'
'But Uber and Lyft, which formed their health divisions in 2018 and 2016, respectively, see the multi-billion dollar NEMT market as fertile ground to drive growth, contending they can reduce patient no-shows that can cost providers valuable revenue and exacerbate health conditions. An estimated 4 million U.S. patients miss medical appointments annually due to a lack of transportation.'
'Centene, the largest Medicaid managed care provider in the U.S., also piloted Lyft programs at four subsidiary health plans in Ohio, Florida, Georgia and Texas in 2018 and found it reduced average patient wait time for a vehicle to seven minutes, down from 28 minutes for a traditional NEMT ride.'
'Following the pilot, Centene has been using Lyft in all Medicaid markets that allow rideshare, Shea Long, Centene's VP of innovation, said. Centene is also moving to implement Lyft in non-Medicaid markets like Medicare Advantage and the ACA exchanges, where there are fewer restrictions.'