Medi-Van Transportation to Doctor Appts

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
The local community center had a medi-van that will take you to a doctors appointment. The problem with that is they have a 10 mile limit and they won't wait for you. So what good is it? If I have to go to the cardiologist and he's 20 miles away, I'm outta luck. They don't wait because they say they can't tie up the van like that. I can drive to local doctors okay - it's the out-of-town ones that I'd appreciate a ride. Even for the local ones I'd be stranded there with no transporatation.
 

Time is running out. The two people that had offered to take me to my doctor's appointments next week have both backed out. I asked around in church yesterday and all I got was, "Good luck finding a ride", as the people quickly scurried away.

The local medivan only operates between 9 am and 4 pm. My appointments are much earlier than 9 am added to the fact they don't want to tie the van up all day waiting for me to get out and recover from surgery. It more for appointments that won't take much more than an hour, including travel time. Uber doesn't take cash or checks.
 

debodun said:
Time is running out. The two people that had offered to take me to my doctor's appointments next week have both backed out. I asked around in church yesterday and all I got was, "Good luck finding a ride", as the people quickly scurried away.

The local medivan only operates between 9 am and 4 pm. My appointments are much earlier than 9 am added to the fact they don't want to tie the van up all day waiting for me to get out and recover from surgery. It more for appointments that won't take much more than an hour, including travel time. Uber doesn't take cash or checks.
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If you're resolute in your refusal to get at the very least a debit card... you're going to have to travel with someone who takes cash.. and that's probably a regular cab!! Sorry to say it Deb, but you're causing yourself no end of problems now not embracing financial technology.... at the very least you could get a Prepaid card if they're available.. where you simply add cash to the card and use it instead of cash where people take the card payments..

It's not connected to your bank.. it's simply a card with an amount if cash of your choice which you load onto it, and use instead of cash..

have a look here.. https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/dca/downloads/pdf/consumers/OFE_PrepaidCards.pdf
 
hollydolly said:
Sorry to say it Deb, but you're causing yourself no end of problems now not embracing financial technology.... at the very least you could get a Prepaid card if they're available.. where you simply add cash to the card and use it instead of cash where people take the card payments..
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This is a possible short term solution. Call the cab companies and see if they’ll accept a prepaid card. Also discuss the cost. You might need to put a large amount on the card. That’s the way it is. If you have a CC, you‘ll only be charging the amount of ride plus the tip.
 
Jules said:
This is a possible short term solution. Call the cab companies and see if they’ll accept a prepaid card. Also discuss the cost. You might need to put a large amount on the card. That’s the way it is. If you have a CC, you‘ll only be charging the amount of ride plus the tip.
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Precisely that.. and there's no reason that any company who accepts Credit cards would not accept a pre-paid card, but it would always be worth checking, as you say ..
 
debodun said:
Well, the hospital said not to bring anything valuable with me like debit or credit cards, jewelry or money. So how would I pay even if I had a card?
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Most taxi operators have a hand held device that is connected to the Internet, that you swipe or tap to make a payment with your debit or credit card. Same thing that you see in retail stores or cafes. JimB.
 
debodun said:
Well, the hospital said not to bring anything valuable with me like debit or credit cards, jewelry or money. So how would I pay even if I had a card?
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hospitals always say that.. they say don't bring valuables like jewellery and money so it doesn't get stolen .. but who goes out without money or a credit or debit card when they've got to get home ?.. ..I always take a debit card with me even if I'm told to bring no valuables, and always take my phone with me too, which is more valuable than most things I carry with me..

However that's the beauty of a pre-paid card. if you load it with a minimal amount ..say $50 .. to be used in emergencies.. like this one... and then if it was stolen, it's not linked to your bank account, so no thief can access your accounts by using the Pre-paid card
 
debodun said:
The only thing they've let me keep on is my underpants.
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A smart idea would be for them to have a couple of high school type lockers, with pad locks for patient valuables. Here in Toronto that is standard procedure at all the hospitals in the city . I know what is stopping them from doing this.........The fear of being sued. Canada does things differently. JimB.
 
jimintoronto said:
A smart idea would be for them to have a couple of high school type lockers, with pad locks for patient valuables. Here in Toronto that is standard procedure at all the hospitals in the city . I know what is stopping them from doing this.........The fear of being sued. Canada does things differently. JimB.
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they have those here as well...
 
jimintoronto said:
A smart idea would be for them to have a couple of high school type lockers, with pad locks for patient valuables. Here in Toronto that is standard procedure at all the hospitals in the city . I know what is stopping them from doing this.........The fear of being sued. Canada does things differently. JimB.
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Yes...the place I go for my mammograms has these. You just put valuables in there, lock it with the attached key and bring key with you, No charge to use them
 
Being a slave to one's fears can be very costly indeed. Bite the bullet already, Deb, and get a credit card so you can move on with your life. CCs are far more secure than gift cards, debit cards, cash or checks.

You can probably pay a taxi cash to transport you to your cardiac and eye appointments. That's what those companies are there for.

Please understand, it's wholly inappropriate to even ask casual acquaintances to get up at 5:30 AM, drive 60 miles for your eye surgery, hang around for 6 hours while the procedure is done, then drive you home. It's a spouse level favor, not a member of the congregation level favor. Of course the people at church who initially said yes have reneged and others immediately scurry away you when you ask them.

It's uncomfortable for people to have to say no - even it's clear they shouldn't even have been asked - and they will resent you for putting them on the spot with such an improper request.
 
Jules said:
Have you called the hospital and explained your situation?
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I did and they said to call the doctor's office. I did that and was told to call Medicare. I did and was told that since I do not have a Medicare advantage plan, I do not qualify for medical transport. Their representative said to call Eldercare and I was referred back to my local Medivan service (a.k.a. Square One).
 
Is there a recommended hotel really close to the hospital. Often they have one or two that give a discount to patients or their families.

Get a credit card.
Stay in the closest decent hotel the night before and the night of the surgery.
Bring some snack foods.
Bring any needed items for caring for yourself. You know the routine.
By staying the night before you can hide your valuables in the room.
Take a cab or walk to the hospital in the morning. Pay the cab with cash. Discreetly stick the change in your clothes to pay a cab for a return to the hotel.
Spend the night and take a cab to the checkup.
Take a cab home.

Sure, this is going to be costly but there are times you have to spend money to accomplish what has to be done. You can afford to do this.
 
debodun said:
I did and they said to call the doctor's office. I did that and was told to call Medicare. I did and was told that since I do not have a Medicare advantage plan, I do not qualify for medical transport. Their representative said to call Eldercare and I was referred back to my local Medivan service (a.k.a. Square One).
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So after riding this merry-go-round, the answer is to chip off a few dollars and handle your own transportation because you're not eligible to get it for free.
 

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