Maine paratransit contractor gets $1.2M, local providers lose money
Received an extra $1.2 million from the state even as it has caused thousands of MaineCare recipients to miss rides to appointments since the broker took over arranging the rides last summer. Meanwhile local, nonprofit paratransit providers that had provided the service have lost money; one had to lay off employees.
MAINE — Portland Press Herald reported that a contractor for paratransit broker MaineCare received an extra $1.2 million from the state even as it has caused thousands of MaineCare recipients to miss rides to appointments since the broker took over arranging the rides last summer.
Meanwhile local, nonprofit paratransit providers such as Regional Transportation Program (RTP) and Aroostook Regional Transportation that had provided these services are losing money. RTP has had to lay off employees and Aroostook has seen deep budget cuts.
The state announced earlier this year that contractor Coordinated Transportation Solutions’ six regional contracts will not be renewed when they expire June 30 because of the company’s subpar performance, according to the paper.
A spokesperson for the state’s Department of Health and Human Services told the Herald that the payment was related to the volunteer driver network. For the full story, click here.
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