Rural Healthcare Access Requires Transportation Infrastructure Investment
Rural communities face significant healthcare access barriers due to transportation fragmentation. The article argues for reframing transportation as critical healthcare infrastructure rather than an ancillary support service, requiring standardization and investment comparable to other care delivery components. This shift would establish consistent quality standards, accountability measures, and integration with care coordination systems. For Medicaid managed care organizations serving rural populations, this perspective highlights the need to elevate non-emergency medical transportation from administrative function to strategic infrastructure investment.
MCOs with rural service areas must evaluate whether their NEMT programs are structured as infrastructure capable of supporting care coordination, quality outcomes, and member retention, or whether fragmented transportation services undermine value-based care goals.
Managed Care · LTSS
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