Patient Transportation Policy

Objective

To set forth CUIMC policy regarding payment for patient transportation.

Policy

Where current patients are unable to provide transportation for themselves by public or private means, CUIMC may pay for reasonable transportation to and from CUIMC under the following circumstances only:

  • The patient must initiate the request for transport services/assistance;
  • Upon receiving a patient request for assistance, the referring physician or CUIMC personnel will direct the patient to the CUIMC Finance Office. The Finance Office will evaluate each request and approve transportation assistance in cases of demonstrated need, based upon a finding that:
  • The patient lives within CUIMC’s primary service area, and
  • The patient is unable to pay for his/her own transportation for financial reasons (the patient must meet the income/resource tests for assistance as set forth in the CUIMC Revenue Management guidelines); and
  • The patient demonstrates absence of regular and reliable alternatives (e.g., no reasonably available public transportation, and no friend/relative willing to transport the patient).
  • The transportation shall be by modest means only, such as taxi, van or routine car service (i.e., no limousines, ambulances).
  • The transportation shall be limited to transport to and from CUIMC facilities only, and shall not include transport to or from any unaffiliated health care provider’s office or facility.
  • CUIMC shall not advertise or market to prospective or current patients the availability of this transportation assistance.
  • Under no circumstances may CUIMC or any referring physician claim such transportation costs on any cost report or claim for payment.
  • Under no circumstance shall anyone outside the Finance Office approve transportation assistance under this policy.
  • Transportation assistance preferably will be in the form of CUIMC making direct payment to the taxi or car service. Cash reimbursements to patients are disfavored and must be supported by credible documentation (e.g., automated taxi receipts that are date and time stamped).

For purposes of this policy, “referring physician" shall be defined as a physician affiliated with CUIMC either as full-time faculty or as a member of one of its independent practice associations (“IPAs”).

For purposes of this policy, “current patients” shall be limited to those individuals who are presently under the care of a referring physician and who have already been referred to, or are being treated at CUIMC in connection with such referring physician’s care.

This policy shall apply to all academic or clinical departments, divisions, centers and institutes within CUIMC.

 

 

 

 

Office for Billing Compliance
Policy#: 10038
Original Date of Issue: 1996
Revised: 3/22/2023
Reviewed: 3/1/2024