Key TakeawaysUber Caregiver will enable caregivers to coordinate non-emergency health-related transportation through the Uber app.The feature is set to launch this summer.At the end of 2024, Uber Caregiver will expand to allow caregivers to order groceries and over-the-counter medications for their patients.

Key Takeaways

Uber Caregiver will enable caregivers to coordinate non-emergency health-related transportation through the Uber app.The feature is set to launch this summer.At the end of 2024, Uber Caregiver will expand to allow caregivers to order groceries and over-the-counter medications for their patients.

Uber is introducing a new feature this summer called Uber Caregiver, which allows caregivers to coordinate care, including health-related transportation.

This isn’t Uber’s first venture into the healthcare system.Uber Healthhas been operating since 2018, offering healthcare providers the option to coordinate non-emergency travel for patients using the ridesharing company’s platform.

According to Uber, users can connect their healthcare benefits to their account and assign someone as a primary caregiver on the app to order and monitor their rides. At the end of 2024, caregivers will also be able to order groceries and over-the-counter medications with Uber Eats.

“Caregivers have long been under-appreciated and poorly integrated into the formal health care system. It might be that we are finally recognizing the value of this ‘invisible’ group,” saidJun Li, PhD, an assistant professor of public administration and international affairs at Syracuse University.

Li, whose research focuses on healthcare policy and access for older adults, said Uber Health’s transport option highlights the significant shortage of healthcare workers.“The healthcare workforce is facing a strain and demand is really high, but supply is low,” Li said. “So we really foresee a shortage of workers who can do things like bring you to the doctor or bring your groceries, just basic tasks that would help you remain in the community.”

One of the benefits of Uber Health is that it’s faster than traditional access-a-ride (AAR) paratransit services, according to Darren Harline, chief operating officer of American Logistics, a company thatworks with Uber Healthto provide non-emergency transportation services.

“[The rides] can just happen very, very quickly. I think the members over the years have really grown accustomed to the speed of being picked up, whether it be picked up from their home to go to the doctor’s or to come home,” Harline told Verywell.

He added that the standard approach has been to use Uber as a failsafe option when other transportation arrangements fall through. However, Uber Health could become a core option for non-emergency medical transportation.

Some Uber users have opted to use Uber instead of calling an ambulance to avoid high costs, but the company has emphasized that this service is only for non-emergency transportation.

While digital health tools come with convenience, digital and health literacy is crucial for patients to adopt new technologies. For some patients, the technology gap is so great that the idea of maneuvering an app is “out of their league,” Lozano said.

Uber is still finalizing the eligibility of health plans and insurance providers—including Medicare Advantage and Medicaid—for the caregiver feature. In the meantime, you could contact your health insurance for coverage details.

Best Medical Alert Systems

What This Means For YouUber Caregiver could simplify managing health-related transportation and errands for those you provide care for. This feature may provide quicker and more flexible options compared to traditional services. However, it’s important to check with your health insurance provider to see if this service is covered.

What This Means For You

Uber Caregiver could simplify managing health-related transportation and errands for those you provide care for. This feature may provide quicker and more flexible options compared to traditional services. However, it’s important to check with your health insurance provider to see if this service is covered.

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