Medicaid patient complained of severe leg pain. X-rays were taken at facility in Indiana. Negative. Ordered to visit orthopedic services. Does family have to provide transportation to physicians office? Does family have to pay for visit?
Some senior centers, and some care facilities, contract with a local transit company to provide small bus transportation. These typically have wheelchair lift capacity.
Call your local senior center and your local public transit company to find out if these services are available. They're much cheaper than by amulette or ambulance.
Many states also have volunteers who provide transportation for elderly patients. Check out your social services for seniors page for your local government. In our case in CT, when my parents were in their own home, we provided transportation unless we had a live-in care giver then the care giver company provided transportation.
I'm confused about the copayment issue. Medicaid takes the patient's whole income except for a small personal needs allowance. How can the patient be expected to pay copayments out of that?
Staff won't necessarily help him get out of the car at his doctor's appointment as the office staff are not required to do that for liability purposes. They are not responsible for that, unfortunately. They may give you a loaner wheelchair they keep at their office but that's all. If he can't safely get in and out of a car you may have to private pay an ambulance company that will get him on a stretcher and transport him from the NH to the doctor's office. Some office staff won't even help the patient up on the exam table if they feel they may injure themselves. Sad but true. Everything these days is about liability. The doctor's office limit their staff extending themselves as then the doctor may have to pay a huge workman's comp claim.
If he is able to get in and out of a car with assistance, no it's not covered. Staff can help you get him there and staff at receiving faculty can help get him out of the car.
Who ordered the visit? If the nursing home, the social worker there should have some options. Some states (you don't say where you live) have limited availability for transportation for non-emergency medical appointments. You can also check with the Medicaid social worker on options for transport. With regards to payment, you would pay for a medical visit the same way you normally would - make sure the referral doctor takes Medicare/Medicaid and be prepared to pay any co-pays. Unless there is an injury that the nursing home is responsible for, family is still responsible for coordinating care provided outside the nursing home or emergency hospital setting.
He's getting Medicaid. Medicaid would be billed for Medical transport and visit. Are you sure you mean Medicaid ( for indigent patients) and not Medicare?
Call your local senior center and your local public transit company to find out if these services are available. They're much cheaper than by amulette or ambulance.
If he can't safely get in and out of a car you may have to private pay an ambulance company that will get him on a stretcher and transport him from the NH to the doctor's office. Some office staff won't even help the patient up on the exam table if they feel they may injure themselves.
Sad but true. Everything these days is about liability. The doctor's office limit their staff extending themselves as then the doctor may have to pay a huge workman's comp claim.