Volunteer drivers, gas vouchers, and free or discounted tickets are some of the ways cancer patients can get help traveling to treatment centers, getting to doctor visits, and running essential errands. Medicaid covers some travel costs for eligible patients.
Nationwide, the American Cancer Society (ACS) Road to Recovery Helps connect patients with volunteer drivers in your area. For details see Road to Recovery or call 800.227.2345.
For Patients Covered by Medicaid
Certain transportation costs may be covered under Medicaid, the state-federal partnership that pays for health services for low-income people.
Washington Medicaid contracts with “transportation brokers” in each county to cover medically necessary transportation. View contact information for brokers, listed by county.
If you are covered by Alaska Medicaid, your referring physician’s office at home must contact First Health at 907.273.3016, Alaska’s Medicaid contractor, to authorize out-of-state travel. Your social worker has forms you will need to give to transportation providers for billing.
Patients covered by Medicaid in Idaho or Montana pay for transportation services and submit receipts for partial reimbursement.
For further assistance, patients covered by Medicaid can contact a patient navigator at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
Seattle and King County Local Transportation
King County Senior Services
Can provide volunteer drivers for medical appointments for King County residents who are 60 or older.
King County Senior Services’ Hyde Shuttle
Provides rides to medical appointments plus hot meal programs, senior centers, grocery stores, and other errands. There are no forms to complete; just sign up over the phone.
King County Accessible Transportation Map and Resources
A King County map and resource developed by King County Transportation Services and the King County Mobility Coalition.
King County Metro
Regional Reduced Fare Permit
Reduced fares for riders who are age 65 or older, have a disability, or hold a Medicare card. One card can be used for multiple public transportation systems in the Puget Sound region. See the website for an application.
King County Metro Access Bus
Provides curb-to-curb service for people whose disabilities prevent them from using accessible, fixed-route bus service. Access takes you anywhere a Metro bus or Sound Transit light rail operates, during the same hours and days as regular service.
Metro’s Taxi Scrip Program
Provides a 50 percent discount on seven books of taxi scrip each month for low-income King County residents who have a disability or are older than 65.
Solid Ground
Free circulating bus to access health and human services in the downtown Seattle area
Western Washington Local Transportation
Catholic Community Services
Volunteer Transportation Service
Provides low-income elders and disabled adults with transportation to medical appointments, the grocery store, and other essential errands. The service operates in many Western Washington counties. Check the website for the phone number in your area.
Pierce County Shuttle
Provides door-to-door service for people who cannot use regular Pierce Transit buses. Riders must fill out an application, which may take up to 21 business days to process.
Thurston County Dial-A-Lift
Provides transportation support for people with disabilities who are unable to use public transportation. Riders must fill out an application, which may take up to 21 business days to process.
Snohomish County Transportation Coalition
Provides Snohomish County transportation resources and services.
Eastern Washington Local Transportation
Human Services Council
800.752.9422 Option 2
Helps people having difficulty with transportation to medical appointments. Can provide bus tickets, gas vouchers, mileage reimbursements, volunteer drivers, and other services. Serves Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania, and Wahkiakum counties.
Special Mobility Services
Helps people get to medical appointments by providing volunteer drivers, gas and taxi vouchers, and bus tickets. Serves people in Adams, Grant, Ferry, Lincoln, Oreille, Spokane, and Stevens counties.
Long-Distance Travel
The Angel Bus
Provides gas cards, commercial ground transportation, and volunteer drivers for non-emergency long-distance ground transportation to patients in need so they can access essential health care appointments. The typical trip is 70-250 miles one-way.
Angel Flight West
Arranges free, non-emergency air transportation within the 12 Western states for children and adults with serious medical conditions and other compelling needs. Volunteer pilots are matched to those in need, transporting them to medical treatments and other essential services that might otherwise be inaccessible because of financial, medical, or geographic circumstances. To learn more, visit angelflightwest.org, call 888.426.2643 or email info@angelflightwest.org.
Bolt Bus
Serves only Bellingham (WA), Seattle, Portland (OR), and Vancouver, BC, at low cost.
National Patient Travel HELPLINE
This helpline lists more than 40 air transportation options for patients throughout the nation. It also provides non-emergency long-distance ground transportation for financially strapped ambulatory patients traveling for treatment. Air transport options include commercial airline programs and nonprofit organizations, such as AirLifeLine, Angel Flight, and the Corporate Angel Network.
FindaRide.org
An interactive map created by Hopelink that compiles specialized and alternative transportation resources in Snohomish, King and Pierce Counties. This includes volunteer driver programs, paratransit programs, medical transportation and community shuttles.
Hopelink's Mobility Transportation Resources Line can also provide you with one-on-one support in finding unique transport options. The Mobility Line is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday though Friday. To learn more, email mobility@hopelink.org, call 425.943.6760, ext. 2, or complete the online form.
