Lack of transportation can be a significant barrier to accessing healthcare services. According to a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report, one in five patients report forgoing needed healthcare services due to lack of transportation. This problem is often compounded in rural communities where patients lack public transportation and ride-share options.

Please see full Podcast here.

Hospitals and other providers are increasingly trying to address these challenges by providing patients with transportation, oftentimes without charge. Offering transportation assistance can ensure patients, especially those most vulnerable, do not delay or forgo critical services because of transportation issues. However, free transportation programs do raise compliance issues and must be structured to comply with the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Civil Monetary Penalty Law.

On our podcast this week, we dive into these compliance issues and how to structure a transportation program that complies with these laws, along with the following free resource – a sample transportation policy: