We love a good Smart Health Market story, and a recent article in FierceHealthcare about the partnership between ride-sharing giant Lyft and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans made us smile. Common sense and uncommon partners at work to solve real problems and drive better results. These are the makings of the Smart Health Market.
Lyft began its foray into the world of MA when it signed an agreement with the CareMore subsidiary of Anthem in 2016. Since then, ride costs and wait times for CareMore beneficiaries have dropped nearly 40%, according to the article, prompting CareMore to schedule 90% of its non-emergency transportation through Lyft. The increased convenience for patients combined with the cost savings is genius.
“Ride-hailing service Lyft…sees Medicare Advantage plans as a key demographic for its health platform.”
No surprise that Lyft will be targeting additional MA plans about adding its services to MA’s supplemental benefits packages. And while they work to expand their MA footprint, the company has also begun tapping the EHR market, having announced an integration with Allscripts last year. That integration enables physicians to hail rides for their patients – especially helpful for individuals who may not own a smart phone or are not familiar with how to use the Lyft app.
Uber is also in on the game with a dashboard designed to allow physicians and care providers to schedule rides for patients. With nearly 3.6 million Americans lacking transportation to a medical appointment, there’s more than room for both companies to play and to make a difference.
Read the full story here.