Carter’s bill would improve medical transport access for dual-eligible patients

Dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid patients would gain access to non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) under a bipartisan bill sponsored on Sept. 15 by U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA).

Currently, Medicare beneficiaries must obtain prior authorization before accessing ambulance rides to dialysis or diabetes wound care services, threatening their access to regularly scheduled, critical healthcare services, according to Rep. Carter’s office.

“This is a common-sense move that will increase patients’ access to health care, particularly for elderly, low-income, and diabetic patients,” said Rep. Carter, who introduced the Access to Critical Non-Emergency Transportation Services Act, H.R. 8841, with two Democratic cosponsors, including lead cosponsor U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA).