LAKEPORT >> The Lake County/City Area Planning Council (APC) will try to meet next year’s unmet transit needs at it regular meeting today. Much of the consideration will focus on the potential expansion of non-emergency medical transportation.
This service is currently provided within close proximity of Lake Transit Authority’s (LTA) fixed routes through its Dial-a-Ride program and according to council documents, it costs the same as a standard fare. However, the Social Services Technical Advisory Council (SSTAC) found at its December meeting that rides may need to be provided to those outside of routes and have new, farther destinations.
“LTA provides over 300 trips a month, most of which go to the two hospitals and dialysis clinics” the SSTAC minutes from the Dec. 8 meeting reported. Those medical centers were identified as St. Helena Hospital and Sutter Lakeside Health.
To expand that service and take Lake County residents to hospitals in Santa Rosa, LTA is going to require funding — something that has recently proved difficult to get. One way, APC staff identified, is to get reimbursements from the hospitals.
The public transportation system approached Sutter Lakeside last year to prepare a contract that would reimburse it for providing those rides but it was never finalized.
According to documents, LTA entered into an agreement and despite complying with its terms, the medical group’s lawyers demanded a second one, asking them to buy $10,000 worth of information technology insurance and comply with HIPAA regulations. The authority complied, but Sutter Lakeside reportedly did not execute the contract. Instead, LTA General Manager Mark Wall claimed that the healthcare facility started paying for taxi rides for patient.
Since then, negotiations have stalled, but according to Wall, they aren’t closed.
“The clinics are already receiving funds from the federal government for transporting clinic patients but that money hasn’t been going to LTA,” the documents added but didn’t identify the funding source. “LTA could provide service to this group but wouldn’t be able to provide the same level of service to more remote residents.”
SSTAC recommended that Wall raise the issue to the hospital administrator and invite hospital staff to the next meeting.
If these funds are secured, Dial-a-Ride non-emergency transport could be provided within a one mile of fixed routes. Alternatively, Wall said LTA is looking to get Medi-Cal funds for this as he claimed money is directed towards dialysis patients.
Other identified unmet needs include a route to a stop at Cache Creek Casino in Brooks. According to the documents, it is the closest connection to the Sacramento Area via public transit.
The public hearing will begin at approximately 9:30 a.m. in Lower Lake at the Lamkin-Sanchez Operations Center.
“It’s not about Lake Transit wanting more money, its about meeting the needs we keep hearing about, again and again, in surveys,” Wall said. “We need more transportation for medical trips.”
A Sutter Lakeside representative did not return a request for comment.
