Fast Facts
| Age Requirement | No Requirement |
| Qualifications | Medical Assistance Recipient |
| Cost | No Cost |
| Hours of Operation | Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Out of County Trips | Yes, With Restrictions* |
| When to Schedule | 1 Business Day, Before Noon 2 Weeks for Out of County |
| Can I Take an Aide? | Yes, With Restrictions |
| Starting Locations | Luzerne County |
| Ending Locations | Appointments Covered by Medical Assistance |
* Please call for details
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for LCTA Shared Ride Medical Assistance transportation you must:
Program Description
The Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and provided by LCTA Shared Ride. If you or anyone in your family is a medical assistance recipient, you may be able to get help with transportation to and from medical providers. The Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) provides rides to medical care at no cost to you, reimbursement for fixed route service or mileage reimbursement if you use your own car or find someone willing to give you a ride. This funding will only reimburse for trips covered by Medical Assistance. There is no cost to you for approved medical trips. Please note, this program IS NOT for emergency services.
Before you can use MATP to get to any health care services that are covered by Medical Assistance, the Shared Ride office needs to determine your eligibility. Please call 570-288-8420 to begin the registration process. You will be asked for your Social Security Number and date of birth, along with a few questions about your need for transportation.
Make sure you tell us about any special needs you may have, such as if you use a wheelchair or walker, or have limitations that keep you from getting to the curb. If you are registering a child who is under 18, a parent or guardian can accompany the child to their appointment at no cost to you.
LCTA Shared Ride provides rides in the least costly way to meet the MATP passenger’s needs. Depending on where you need to go, we can arrange a ride for you using vans or accessible vehicles for person with disabilities. We can also arrange transportation via bus if you do not live far from a bus route. Luzerne County MATP provides mileage reimbursement at the rate of 12 cents per mile, and will also reimburse you for any parking and turnpike toll costs involved in your trip. If LCTA Shared Ride is unable to meet your medical transportation needs, we will refer you to your MA caseworker for help. The CAO phone number(s) are: 570-826-2100 in Wilkes-Barre and 570-459-3800 in Hazelton.
Registration
LCTA has an application process for all consumers registering for transportation service. Any consumer can receive transportation for up to 30 days without a signed application. In instances where a consumer fails to return the signed application in 30 days transportation will cease. When applications are received a determination of MODE is made and the client is notified of that determination via mail.
Modes of Transportation
Paratransit
When public transportation is unavailable, inaccessible, not appropriate (due to the physical/mental needs of a consumer), or if a consumer does not have access to a working, available motor vehicle, LCTA shall provide paratransit services to and from medical appointments.
Mileage Reimbursement
LCTA may reimburse consumers who have access to private vehicles (their own or another individual’s), but cannot meet the cost of fuel, parking, and tolls. LCTA shall reimburse for fuel at a rate of 12 cents per mile, and reimburse the reported parking and/or toll fees, supported by receipts. If you want to claim mileage reimbursement for a trip, you must tell Shared Ride in advance. If a client fails to notify the Shared Ride office of their appointment, the request for reimbursement will be denied.
Mass Transit
Mass Transit includes buses, trains, subways, and other forms of transportation that charge set fares, run on fixed routes, and are available to the public. This definition includes the terms public transportation or public transit. LCTA will reimburse mass transit trips for consumers to MA appointments. Shared Ride can send passes to consumers, if applicable, to cover the established fare for mass transit services use in traveling to or from scheduled medical appointments in cases where consumers cannot afford to purchase them. If you want to claim mass transit reimbursement for a trip, you must tell Shared Ride in advance. If a client fails to notify the Shared Ride office of their appointment, the request for reimbursement will be denied.