Robnetts serve a need with non-emergency transport

Just over two years ago, James Robnett and his wife Pam felt drawn to respond to a need they recognized in the community: non-emergency medical transportation.

“We would hear stories about other companies around the state from clients. They would talk about the amount of dissatisfaction with the services being provided because it’s mostly Medicaid; they’re mostly poor and mostly treated poorly. We just didn’t like it,” Robnett said, “One day, we were driving to Albuquerque, and we just started talking; we could do this, right? And so we did.”

Blue Raven Transport provides non-emergency medical transportation in Socorro County, serving 30-35 clients daily during the week and about 70 legs (trips) per day. They employ 19 staff, 16 of whom drive regularly. Their staff serves clients in Socorro County and Catron County, with drivers located in Socorro, San Antonio, Magdalena, Belen and Alamo.

“We are a non-emergency medical transportation, which means that if people call and say, ‘I have to go to the hospital right now,’ we cannot take them, so these are for scheduled appointments only,” Robnett said.

Rural Challenges

Robnett recognized the obstacles of rural communities and their access to health care and considers places like Alamo one of the state’s most remote areas.

“It’s not a Socorro County problem. It’s a nationwide problem. Rural communities are dying across the country, and it’s opportunities. You have an aging community where younger children, grandchildren are leaving, getting jobs in Albuquerque. And so what’s happening is, while there’s an aging community throughout the country in rural areas, they’re left with even less resources. They have less alternatives for transportation, less people that they can rely on, and it’s the state-wide.” Robnett said.

He said serving an area so large and spread out makes scheduling transportation a lot different than an urban transportation service. Sometimes, their clients and drivers have nine-hour days.

“It’s a different rhythm than a taxi service in an urban environment in Albuquerque, where they just drive two miles, pick somebody up, drive somebody a mile, drop them off, shuttling around all the time. So scheduling is a little more complicated.” Robnett said.

Although it can be complicated, he said they are dedicated to putting their clients first and offering the best service.

Insurance

Robnett said Medicaid typically pays for the trips, and sometimes, private insurance will cover them. They also have a contract with a state program for veterans who live in rural counties. He said Medicare does not cover transportation, which he sees as a huge problem.

“With Medicare, it’s up to the states to decide how to spend their Medicare funds or whether to supplement it. There are some states that supplement the Medicare funds to include transportation. New Mexico is not one of those states. In New Mexico’s defense, very few do,” Robnett said.

He said the state requires them to offer their services to those who want to pay out of pocket, and although they have the lowest rates in the state, “it’s still more than people can pay.”

Despite challenges like long travel times and insurance coverage, the company aims to provide reliable service and never deny transportation to those in need.

He said the company’s focus is on client satisfaction and punctuality. They offer one wheelchair-accessible van and prioritize client comfort over profit, avoid overcrowding and ensure regular schedules for clients attending treatment centers.

Anyone with questions is welcome to visit their office at 124 A Manzanares Avenue in Socorro, call 575- 835-8926 or visit their website at www.blueraventransport.com