138.4 Transportation Allowances

The CAO may provide an allowance for costs related to transportation as a special items allowance or, in some cases, as a payment from the CAO petty cash fund. If all requirements are met, an allowance is given to a person who needs transportation for:    55 Pa. Code § 175.23

• Necessary medical care;

• Employment and training. See Section 135.6;

• Other special needs; or

• Relocation of a non-exempt minor parent to the home of a parent or legal guardian. See Section 138.42, Other Special Transportation Allowances.     55 Pa. Code § 141.21(q) & (r)

138.41 Transportation for Necessary Medical Care

Medical transportation services are available to TANF, NMP, MNO and SSI recipients who have no other means of transportation to necessary medical care or to obtain prescription drugs.    55 Pa. Code § 175.23

Transportation grants for necessary medical care are available to recipients from one of two sources:

1. The Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP), if the county has this program.

2. The CAO for medical transportation needs not covered by MATP or for medical transportation needs in counties that do not have an MATP.

138.411 Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP)

The MATP is available in all but a few Pennsylvania counties. See Appendix C for a list of the MATP agencies in each county. Title XIX funds the program. It is not a CAO program. The service can be provided in a variety of ways:

• Actual transportation of eligible recipients to and from the medical services.

• Tokens or tickets for public transportation.

• Reimbursement to the person for the cost of the trip.

• Other methods as approved by DPW.

Follow these steps when an eligible recipient requests medical transportation services from the CAO:

• First contact the county MATP agency to determine if it will provide the necessary assistance.

• If the MATP will provide the service, advise the recipient how to contact the MATP to apply for the service. It is the person’s responsibility to contact the service to make arrangements and verify Medical Assistance eligibility.

• Give a special allowance only if the MATP agency is unable to provide the service. This special allowance should never be a vendor payment.

The MATP will establish a service area. The MATP agency will cover all transportation to necessary medical care within the designated service area.

The CAO will need to contact the local MATP agency to determine the service area.

MATP services may be denied for these reasons:

• The MATP determines that the care is within the service area but is not necessary or is for a service the MA program does not cover.

• There are sanctions from the MATP program.

• The MATP did not receive adequate notice of the medical appointment.

Written notice of denial is not required unless the person requests written notice. The person may appeal the decision to the MATP agency.

If the MATP determines that the service is outside the service area or is unable to provide transportation for any reason, it must refer the person to the CAO to request a medical transportation allowance. The CAO will approve a medical transportation allowance only if the requirements of Section 138.412 are met.

138.412 Medical Transportation Allowances

The CAO will approve a medical transportation allowance if all of the following requirements are met:     55 Pa. Code § 175.23

• The county does not have an MATP or it has an MATP, but the recipient has been denied services or needs medical care that can only be provided outside the MATP service area.

• The medical service is necessary.

• No other means of transportation is available.

• The person has provided written verification from the physician or medical facility that an appointment has been scheduled or the service has been provided.

• Travel is to the closest source for providing the required care.

NOTE:  If the person chooses to travel a distance longer than the CAO determines necessary, approval and the amount of the allowance is based on the closest available care.

• The transportation is to a medical service covered by the MA Program. It is not a requirement that the provider actually accept DPW payment. MA reimbursable providers include:

• Ambulatory surgical centers

• Birth centers

• Chiropractors

• Dentists

• Dialysis clinics

• Drug and alcohol clinics (including methadone maintenance services)

• Family planning clinics

• General hospitals and all out-patient services provided by the hospitals

• Health Maintenance Organizations

• Home health agencies

• Independent laboratories

• Independent medical/surgical clinics

• Medical suppliers (including low vision centers and opticians)

• Midwives

• Nursing facilities (including those for the mentally retarded: ICF/MR)

• Optometrists

• Pharmacies

• Physicians

• Podiatrists

• Primary health care clinics

• Private psychiatric hospitals

• Psychiatric clinics (including mental health partial hospitalization)

• Rehabilitation hospitals and all out-patient services provided by the hospital

• Rural health clinics

• Short procedure units

NOTE:  If in doubt about the eligibility of the medical service, the CAO may check the MA Fee Schedule to determine if the service is covered. This may require contacting the provider to determine the procedure code for the service.

Eligible transportation does not include ambulance service available from enrolled providers. It also does not include transportation to a sheltered workshop, medically-related day care, or mental health social rehabilitation programs such as adult day care and MH/MR Respite Care.

If the medical transportation need meets the above requirements, the CAO will authorize an OTI for the sum of the allowable costs.

NOTE:  For transportation to obtain prescription drugs, the CAO may include medical transportation allowances in the regular payment if the need is continuing. The check is written for the actual amount of the costs even if that amount is less than $1.00. The CAO will issue all checks for less than $1.00 from county issuance.     55 Pa. Code § 175.23

The CAO may make OTI checks for medical transportation restricted endorsement, if necessary. This special allowance should never be made as a vendor payment.

138.42 Other Special Transportation Allowances

Allowances for special transportation needs are available to TANF recipients only if the expenses cannot be met from other sources. Allowances for special transportation costs are limited to:     55 Pa. Code § 175.23

• Transportation to get to the place where the person is to have a medical or psychological examination the Department is requiring. 55 Pa. Code § 175.23    

• Transportation that is part of an agency or institution's plan for the treatment of the recipient, his spouse, parent, substitute parent or child.   55 Pa. Code § 175.23

Example: A person’s child is living in a mental retardation facility and the CAO verifies that a visit by the parent is part of the institution's plan for treating the child.

• Transportation required to comply with an operational requirement.     55 Pa. Code § 175.23

Examples:

• The CAO asks the person to report to a site for a new photo ID card.

• The CAO asks the person to travel to a Notary Public for a notarized affidavit when a Notary is not available in the CAO.

• The CAO asks the person to report to the office for a redetermination and the CAO does not have a petty cash fund.

• Transportation for children to participate in EPSDT outreach screening.    

• Transportation costs required as part of a plan for decreasing the need for assistance.

Examples:

• A TANF mother is required to appear in court in another state to establish paternity and petition for payment of a court order.

• Transportation of the person to apply for admission of a dependent child or for the dependent child to attend a secondary or vocational school.     55 Pa. Code § 175.23

  Reason Code	Special Requirements
  171 – Transportation for a child to apply for or attend school (Includes: Private Auto, Public Transit, Taxi, and Paratransit)	Note: Not related to RESET. Must be required as part of the application procedure. The school cannot be part of a public or parochial school system. Nonrecurring.
  Prior Approval:	No.
  Description Required:	Yes.

• Transportation of a TANF dependent, unemancipated child to attend a secondary school or an equivalent vocational or technical training school.      55 Pa. Code § 175.23

  Reason Code	Special Requirements
  171 – Transportation for a child to apply for or attend school (Includes: Private Auto, Public Transit, Taxi, and Paratransit)	Note: Not related to RESET. The child is required to provide and pay for the transportation. The child can reasonably be expected to complete the program before age 19. A secondary school or an equivalent vocational or technical school may not be part of a public or parochial school system. Nonrecurring.
  Prior Approval:	No.
  Description Required:	Yes.

• Transportation of a member of a CAO or state citizen's advisory committee to attend committee meetings. Child care or incapacitated adult care may also be covered in certain situations.      55 Pa. Code § 175.23

  Reason Code	Special Requirements
  850 – Transportation (Includes: Private Auto, Public Transit, Taxi, and Paratransit)	Child care for children under age14 only. The incapacitated adult must live in the home.
  296 - Child Care	Nonrecurring only.
  Prior Approval:	Yes.
  Description Required:	Yes, except Codes 296 & 297

• Transportation for a minor parent and the dependent child when the minor parent is not exempt from the requirement to reside in the home of the minor parent's parent or legal guardian.         55 Pa. Code § 175.23(e)

  Reason Code	Special Requirements
  254 – Transportation (Includes: Private Auto, Public Transit, Taxi and Paratransit)	Does not meet an exemption under Section 110.6.
  	The parent or legal guardian live within the state or in another state.
  	The minor parent and dependent child will not be forced to return to unsafe living conditions.
  	The allowance will be based on the most economical and practical means of travel required to meet the minor parent's needs.
  	Payment will not be authorized until it is confirmed that the minor parent has permission to reside in the parent's or legal guardian's home.
  	The allowance will be limited to once in a 12-month period.
  Prior Approval:	Yes.
  Description Required:	Yes.

138.43 Petty Cash Fund Disbursements

Payments to cover the cost of certain special transportation needs are available to recipients of TANF from the CAO’s Petty Cash Fund. The CAO issues a payment from petty cash for transportation based on the most economical and practical means of travel required to meet the person’s needs, including child care needs, the person’s health and the public transportation schedule.    55 Pa. Code § 175.23

Approval is not based on convenience. For example, a person may not choose to take a taxi to and from an appointment at the CAO if there is available bus service that meets the person’s needs. The CAO may issue a payment only:

• To explore job referrals at the request of the CAO or Job Service.

• To obtain a medical examination at the request of the CAO.

• To report for an office interview at the request of the CAO.

• To report for an office interview at the request of the Domestic Relations Section (DRS) under the child support program.

• To attend a citizen’s advisory meeting at the request of the Department.

Payment from petty cash may be made either in cash or transportation tokens. Payment is limited to:

• Actual minimum cost for employment-related activity required by the CAO or Job Service. See Section 138.31.

• Actual minimum cost to attend a citizen's advisory committee meeting.

• Actual minimum cost per trip per recipient for any other purpose.

NOTE:  This does not affect the mileage rate of $0.12 per mile when a private automobile is used. The CAO may pay the actual cost for use of a private automobile using actual miles traveled multiplied by the mileage rate ($0.12 per mile).

Examples:

• Ms. D receives cash assistance and is scheduled for a redetermination interview. She lives 8 miles from the CAO and takes the bus to and from her appointment. The round trip bus fare is $4.50. The CAO authorizes $4.50 from the petty cash fund to reimburse Ms. D’s expenses for the actual cost of the trip.

• Mr. H receives cash assistance and is asked to report to the CAO for an interview. He lives 22 miles from the CAO and uses his own vehicle to make the trip. The CAO authorizes $5.28 (22 miles x $0.12 x 2) from the petty cash account.

Use the Petty Cash Voucher, Form PA 122-PC, to authorize payments from the fund. Prepare the form in original form only. Retain and use the form for accounting necessary to replenish the fund.

NOTE:  See Section 135.6, Special Allowances for Supportive Services, for special allowances for supportive services.

Reviewed July 30, 2013