Dear Editor:
I’m covered by Medicare, not Medicaid, but I know how important it is to get to a medical appointment. In rural Colorado, that trip can be a long one. People who cannot drive often depend on someone else to take them.
Effective July 1, Colorado reduced the base payment per trip for certain Medicaid taxi and ambulatory rides from $36.40 to $12.15.
That is a cut of about two-thirds. In rural areas, where drivers may travel a long distance to reach a passenger, will enough providers still be willing to make these trips?
At the September 24 five-county meeting, Rep. Katie Stewart acknowledged that the reduction has had a disproportionate impact on La Plata and Montezuma counties. The cut came through the state budget process, and Stewart voted yes on HB 26-1410, the final budget bill.
Rural residents need more than acknowledgment after a policy takes effect.
We need representatives who will work to protect access to medical care. What will Rep. Stewart do to address the impact of this cut and help ensure people in our communities can get to their doctors?
Stanley Patterson
Durango, Colo.
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