Dialysis Transport

In NC, Medicaid pays for transportation. Medicare does not cover any transportation costs. I assume it is the same everywhere else as well, since Medicaid is state-controlled & Medicare is federal-controlled.

The transport van works their routes to pick up people who live in the same area together. They usually have a set amount of time that they will wait for the person to come out, about 10-15 minutes, then they have to leave because they have other people to pick up as well. After they drop off one group of patients, they leave to get other passengers. Later they will pick up the morning patients to go home as they bring in second shift patients. In between the patients, they have other people & school children as well that they carry. The dialysis centers & the transport vans have to work together on schedules for patients who require van transport. In larger towns where there are alot more vans running, it is not as hard, but in small towns where transportation options are limited, it can be difficult to find a way to accommodate this.