DelBene, Pingree and Kind’s RIDE Act to Ensure Low-Income Seniors Have Rides to Their Medical Visits

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) introduced legislation to ensure low-income seniors living in rural areas across the country can continue to get rides to and from their doctor’s appointments. The bill, called the Recruiting Individuals to Drive Our Elders (RIDE) Act, would help bolster volunteer driver programs that are administered by state Medicaid agencies to provide cost-effective transportation for Medicaid beneficiaries.

“Too many of our low-income seniors living in rural areas are unable to obtain critical health services simply because they lack adequate access to transportation,” said DelBene. “The RIDE act is a commonsense solution to an all-too-common problem. Passing this bill will go a long way towards ensuring that Washington’s seniors have reliable access to their medical providers.”

Today, state Medicaid programs are required to ensure that all Medicaid beneficiaries, including seniors, have transportation to their medical providers. As federal law requires that this transportation be provided in the most cost-effective way possible, many states choose to use volunteer drivers to transport seniors to and from their doctor’s appointments. Unfortunately, current Medicaid rules prohibit states from reimbursing volunteer drivers for the mileage of their entire trips—forcing volunteers, who are often older adults themselves, to bear the cost of miles traveled to the senior’s home and back to their own home. Rising gas prices have made it increasingly difficult for volunteer drivers to bear this burden, putting many states’ volunteer driver programs in jeopardy.

The RIDE Act will enable states to reimburse volunteer drivers for their entire trip, including the miles they drive to get to a Medicaid beneficiary's home and to return home after volunteering. By doing so, it will help states to better recruit volunteer drivers and reduce those states’ dependency on more expensive forms of transportation, such as taxis and private transportation services.

“The volunteer drivers in my district absolutely love taking people to their appointments. The only reward they’re looking for is the good feeling they get by helping out—but they shouldn’t have to pay through the nose for it,” said Pingree. “With gas prices the way they are, it’s getting harder and harder for volunteers to afford to offer their services. This network of volunteers has worked for many years in providing cost-effective and reliable transportation to seniors whose health depends on these appointments. The RIDE Act takes the needed steps to keep it up and running.” 

“In rural districts like mine, transportation is an important concern for people seeking care,” said Kind.  “Our communities are filled with caring neighbors who are willing to give rides to the doctor’s office, but with the price of gas and the distance sometimes traveled in rural areas, we have to step up and help them cover their out-of-pocket costs.”

The legislation is supported by a broad array of patient, senior and transportation advocacy organizations, including the American Heart Association, LeadingAge, the National Senior Corps Association, the Consumer Voice, the Community Transportation Association of America, and Transportation for America. 

Senators Al Franken (D-MN) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) are leading the companion legislation to the RIDE Act in the Senate, also introduced today.