Medicaid Ride Program, Plagued by Fraud, Still Has Its Champions

It’s a money saver for Medicaid, a highly anticipated new benefit for some Medicare patients, and a competitive new battleground for ride-hailing giants Uber and Lyft. But rides to medical appointments could still be scrapped as a mandatory benefit for state Medicaid programs next year.

In December, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is slated to seek public comment on whether “the Assurance of transportation in the Medicaid program remains administratively necessary.”

The outcome could affect transportation access for millions of Medicaid patients who use the service. The policy initiative also seems to run counter to previous CMS efforts ...