Thursday, July 31, 2014

The value of non-emergency medical transport

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Ambulances are more than just emergency vehicles. These days, they’re often used by patients that require transport for non-emergency cases. Many of these patients often don’t have their own means of transportation or find it difficult to travel to healthcare facilities due to disability or old age. 

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Many studies have also shown that the lack of transportation is a barrier to care. Many low-income individuals are unable to regularly go to hospitals and clinics for checkups and preventative care due to the fact that they do not own a car or they cannot afford the extra costs of transportation. With access to non-emergency medical transport, patients who need the service can expect better health outcomes that come with regularity in their trips to medical institutions for primary and preventative care.

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Apart from this, studies have also shown that medical transport is vital to the treatment of individuals with behavioral health issues. Treatments for behavior health problems help patients to become productive members of society and transportation is integral to their treatment.

Medical transport, however, may not always be easy to obtain. People are often unsure if their insurance or if Medicare covers the costs of medical transportation services. In most cases, insurance and Medicare may cover the costs of medical transportation if it meets a medical necessity. Patients are required to have a document from their doctor that proves the necessity of the service with regards to their condition.

Balboa Ambulance Service is the only private medical transportation provider in San Diego County that is capable of offering a fully comprehensive transportation package. For more information about medical transport, follow this Facebook page.