Senior Services Solutions Plus says county grant nearly exhausted after MedRide disruption
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Summary
The executive director for Senior Services Solutions Plus told commissioners the nonprofit has used most of a county grant to maintain nonemergency transportation for Medicaid clients after state changes to MedRide reimbursement left the group covering costs.
Patty Cedillo, executive director of Senior Services Solutions Plus in Canon City, thanked commissioners for prior funding and said the nonprofit’s volunteer driver program provides nonemergency medical, dental and optical transportation for county clients.
Cedillo said the nonprofit petitioned the county for funds last year and that a recent state change to MedRide reimbursement led to a surge of Medicaid clients seeking rides when MedRide’s operations were interrupted. She told the commissioners the organization has “pretty much gone through most of the $9,600 that you granted us” and that program spending rose markedly earlier in the year during the MedRide disruption. Cedillo provided the board a client letter that documents how the transportation assistance supports chronically ill clients who travel to appointments in Colorado Springs and Pueblo.
Commissioners indicated they have already discussed additional funding for the service and said staff would follow up. Cedillo thanked the county and the city of Canon for prior support and asked the board to consider continued funding.
No formal vote occurred during the presentation; commissioners signaled support and asked staff to consider the request during budget deliberations.