Rep. John Hershey (R-Franklin/Juniata/Mifflin) recently drafted legislation that would conduct a review of the Medical Assistance Transportation Program, citing concerns about the program’s costs.
The program offers shared rides to medical appointments for Medical Assistance recipients when other means of transportation are unavailable to them. An example is the Mifflin-Juniata CARS program operated by the Mifflin-Juniata Regional Services Corporation.
Last year’s Human Services Code includes a requirement that the Department of Human Services update its system and provide assistance using a statewide or regional broker, rather than counties across the state providing the service. The savings, through federal reimbursements, were estimated at approximately $15 million.
Further analysis showed that the ultimate cost of the program to the Commonwealth would be more than $31.5 million, Hershey said.
“I wholeheartedly support looking for ways to save taxpayer money,” Hershey said. “However, we can’t get so excited to save $15 million that we fail to consider that the change could cost us much more. By requiring brokerage of a program such as Mifflin-Juniata CARS, our counties could be forced to pay more in the long-term while offering a lower level of service.”
The Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association, County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and county transportation providers support the legislation.
“We are concerned about the impact to our communities and feel that more time is needed to evaluate the program,” Mary Ann Demi, the executive director of Mifflin-Juniata Regional Services, said. “Medical Assistance recipients may be placed at a greater risk as safety requirements become more relaxed. Also, the benefit of having a local provider that knows the community and can connect passengers with other relevant resources would be lost.”
Sen. Lisa Baker (R-Luzerne/Pike/Susquehanna/Wayne/Wyoming) is sponsoring the companion bill, Senate Bill 390.