Officials warn MTM contract changes could disrupt Medicaid transport; committee authorized advocacy outreach
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Summary
County staff and committee members described missed or delayed Medicaid rides after MTM expanded services; the committee authorized sending an advocacy letter to Inclusa and discussed hybrid arrangements to preserve locally provided ADRC trips.
Richland County officials told the Community and Health Services standing committee on April 2 that changes to Medicaid transportation contracts have strained rural service delivery and prompted local action.
Roxanne (speaker 9), representing the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) and the county's homelessness coalition, said MTM has begun providing transportation in some counties and that rural areas have reported missed pickups and scheduling problems. "We've heard stories of people ... wanting us to pick them up because MTM didn't show up to take them to an appointment," Roxanne said, citing recent complaints and early implementation issues in neighboring counties.
Roxanne said the county previously provided trips through the ADRC and that, for Inclusa members alone, the ADRC provided more than 2,000 trips last year. Committee members described both the operational problems and the potential for service disruption if MTM does not scale capacity in rural counties.
The committee discussed possible responses and, as staff noted, had authorized sending an advocacy letter to Inclusa to seek alternatives to an MTM-only model and to explore hybrid contracting that would allow ADRC to continue providing some trips. County staff said they are also negotiating with MTM to arrange a local contract to preserve critical trips while the statewide transition proceeds.
Why it matters: Rural residents who rely on Medicaid transportation for medical appointments and other essential trips may face missed appointments and access barriers if a vendor lacks local driver capacity. The county is seeking hybrid arrangements and advocacy to preserve local service capacity during the transition.
Clarifying details: Staff reported the original MTM transition date was delayed; the contract end date was described in the meeting as May 31 (extension from an earlier March 31 date), and the ADRC recently provided more than 2,000 trips for Inclusa members last year. Roxanne said the committee had authorized an advocacy letter to Inclusa (authorization referenced as a prior committee action).
