LAKE COUNTY >> An agreement between Lake Transit Authority (LTA) and Sutter Lakeside Hospital for non-emergency transportation services will provide patients with options for reaching medical care.
The contract, which totals $60,000, will go into effect on June 1 and will last until June 30, 2018.
Lake Transit will provide curb-to-curb transportation service during clinic hours, Monday through Friday. The service will be provided to patients that are able to travel in paratransit vehicles without the need for medical personnel. It is open to those within the county, unless the LTA determines their location cannot be safely accessed or will cause damage to the vehicle.
“This is part of our commitment to deliver care to our patients with transportation challenges,” says Leeann Hadgis, director of ambulatory clinics for Sutter Lakeside. “We want to help patients get to our clinics for a full range of care.”
Sutter Lakeside Hospital will be responsible for verifying patient eligibility, marketing and promotion. Responsibilities of the LTA — aside from general vehicle, performance and employee training standards — will include record keeping, trip assignments based on lowest cost for each patient and reservations.
Lake Transit currently provides more than 600 non-emergency medical transports each month.
“We’re excited to partner with Sutter Lakeside to provide this important service to our community,” says Mark Wall, general manager, Lake Transit Authority. “We’ve been meeting Lake County’s transportation needs for more than 18 years, and are pleased to be part of a program that will have a positive influence on the health and well-being of people in our community.”
Currently, the Federal Transit Act will cover some costs until Dec. 1, which will allow the LTA to bill Sutter Lakeside Hospital at a subsidized rate. However, unless new federal grant or Medi-Cal funding is found and approved, invoices after that day will billed at full price of each one-way trip.
The subsidized cost of transportation of non-emergency medical needs is approximately $11 from Lakeport, Nice and Upperlake, according to the agreement. Without funding, one-way trips to Sutter Lakeside would increase to nearly $22.
Subsidized and non-subsidized costs for Blue Lakes or Lucerne total nearly $18 and $35, respectively. While the cost for Clearlake Oaks, Glenhaven and Kelseyville are the most expensive, costing a little more than $31 dollar with grant funding or a little more than $62.
All prices are for one-way trips.
Contact J. W. Burch, IV at 900-2022.
