Beyond benefits: How Ride to Care helps members get to health care

For many people, getting to a doctor’s appointment is a routine part of staying healthy. But for members, transportation can be one of the biggest barriers to care.

Before her diagnosis, Amy*, a CareOregon member, loved walking through Forest Park, playing in the backyard with her daughter and having the freedom to go wherever she wanted.

These were the simple moments in her life that she now desperately misses. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, her mobility changed and she could no longer do the activities she once loved. Everyday errands, from going grocery shopping to health care appointments, turned into an arduous process.

…it feels like this world isn’t always designed with people’s disabilities in mind.

CareOregon member, Amy

“I just want to get somewhere and have it be easy,” Amy said. “Something small, like a doctor’s appointment, feels like this huge thing. It makes me not want to go.”

Without a bus stop nearby and without consistent access to transportation, even leaving the house took more planning and energy than she had to give. “I can’t drive, so if I want to get from point A to point B, I need my wheelchair,” she said, “And even then, it’s not always possible because it feels like this world isn’t always designed with people’s disabilities in mind.”

CareOregon’s transportation benefit is designed to reduce those barriers.

With Ride to Care, CareOregon helps members like Amy get to the care they need, addressing one of the biggest barriers to accessing health services. Offered through Health Share, CareOregon manages the program and provides free non-emergency medical transportation for eligible members traveling to health care services such as medical, dental, behavioral health and substance use treatment visits.

Across the region, thousands of members rely on this support every year. In 2025, nearly 40,000 members used Ride to Care. Those numbers represent thousands of times when someone was able to see a doctor, receive treatment or stay connected to the care they need.

When members can rely on a ride, they’re more likely to keep appointments, stay connected to their care team and manage their health.

Transportation Manager at CareOregon, Jen Martinek

Transportation barriers can take many forms. Some members live far from clinics or specialty care providers. Others, like Amy, face physical disabilities that require wheelchair-accessible vehicles or additional assistance. For members managing chronic illness or behavioral health needs, even small disruptions in transportation can interrupt care plans. For other members, financial barriers can also be a challenge.

Through Ride to Care, members can access transportation in several ways, depending on their circumstances: transit passes for those living near public transportation, mileage reimbursement for those who have access to a vehicle but need help covering travel costs or scheduled rides in vehicles that can accommodate mobility devices and other health needs. When appointments require longer distance travel, including outside the local area, the program can also help with lodging and meal reimbursements to make longer trips possible.

“Transportation is often the difference between someone receiving care or going without it,” said Jen Martinek, Transportation Manager at CareOregon. “When members can rely on a ride, they’re more likely to keep appointments, stay connected to their care team and manage their health. That consistency can have a real impact on people’s lives, especially in the long term."

For Amy who can't always rely on her wheelchair or a nearby bus stop, Ride to Care has meant showing up for appointments she might otherwise have put off.

“For me, knowing that this is available to use when I need it means it’s one less thing to worry about in a sea of things,” Amy said. “I can just call them up. It’s made my life easier, and I really need easier right now.”

Programs like Ride to Care reflect CareOregon’s broader commitment to addressing the factors that impact health beyond traditional medical services. Transportation may seem simple to those who don’t have to go without it, but when it stands between someone and the care they need, solving that challenge makes all the difference.

Beyond Benefits series

Beyond Benefits is a CareOregon series that highlights the supports we offer beyond standard health coverage. From transportation and nutrition assistance to language access, care coordination and community‑based supports, these programs are designed to address the day-to-day challenges that impact health.

*Not her real name