VA uses ride-shares to help veterans make critical medical appointments
NextGov covers the Veterans Health Administration’s rideshare program, launched in January 2022, and initially part of a pilot with Uber Health. The program has grown significantly, offering over 438,000 rides to veterans who need transportation for medical appointments. The initiative, now branded as the Veterans Transportation Program Beneficiary Travel Rideshare Services, expanded to 101 VAMCs by August 2024 and includes both Uber and Lyft. Veterans schedule rides up to six months in advance, helping to ensure completed appointments, especially critical for dialysis patients. VA sees 1.8 million missed appointments annually attributed to transportation issues, a problem costing the VA nearly $4.4 billion annually. By December 2024, all transportation options will be integrated into a single dashboard to streamline services across VA centers.
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