[This article has been updated to include information from a Lyft spokesperson.]

The ride-hailing apps Uber and Lyft will team up with the White House to make free rides to COVID-19 vaccination sites free through July 4.  

According to White House senior advisor Andy Slavitt, beginning shortly, the companies will start to offer free rides to 80,000 vaccination sites for the next two months. Uber did not offer more details aboout the logistics of the program, but Lyft said in response to queries that it would provide a ride code worth $15 in each direction.

Reporting from the Wall Street Journal stated that the companies will not be paid by the government to bring riders to and from sites.   

Instead, the administration will provide information on tens of thousands of sites to the apps as part of the partnership.  

WHY IT MATTERS

Although initial demand for the COVID-19 vaccine led to rushes, glitches and occasional mayhem, the surge has leveled off in many states.

Still, access remains a pervasive issue.

President Joe Biden's administration is attempting to tackle the logistical complications many users have faced. This past week, it rolled out a new vaccination information text-line.

Now, Lyft and Uber will promote rides to sites through their apps.  

"People will be able to simply select a vaccination site near them, follow simple directions to redeem their ride, and then get a ride to take them to and from a nearby vaccination site free of charge," said the White House, in a fact sheet published Tuesday.  

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients will reportedly outline the plan in a Tuesday call with governors. "Not everyone has had the chance to get vaccinated yet," said Zients, according to The WSJ. "That's why we are using all the tools at our disposal and enlisting partners across sectors to meet the president's goal of getting 70% of adult Americans with at least one shot by July 4th."

Of course, Lyft and Uber drivers are not available everywhere, and are particularly scarce in rural areas where vaccine access may be otherwise hampered. And although there is no distance limit to the rides, the $15 ride code may not cover 100% of the cost. Lyft said in a blog post published Tuesday that "based on previous rides given to vaccination sites, we expect [the $15] cover most, if not all, of riders’ fares." Lyft representatives said that drivers will be compensated as normal.

Uber representatives said in response to Healthcare IT News' request for comment that the company will cover costs, "and these efforts are therefore not affecting driver earnings."   

"The vaccine is the key to getting us all moving again, and we’re proud to do our part to move the country forward,” said John Zimmer, co-founder and president of Lyft, in a statement. "We’ve always believed transportation has the power to improve people's lives, and this initiative makes that truer than ever. We’re grateful to the Biden Administration for prioritizing access."

Biden also plans to make billions of dollars in funding available to state and local leaders through the Federal Emergency Management Agency to fund the cost of in-person, phone and online outreach, and of making vaccinations available. 

Also, the administration will announce partnerships between providers and community colleges to provide on-site vaccinations.  

THE LARGER TREND

Both Lyft and Uber have made moves toward carving out footholds in the medical transport industry. The companies have teamed up with major electronic health records vendors Epic and Cerner, respectively, to integrate ride-hailing into the EHR workflow.  

While the organizations have announced in the past that they will support access to COVID-19 vaccinations, the partnership with the White House appears to be the most ambitious yet.  

ON THE RECORD   

"Vaccines are our best hope to beat this pandemic, and soon everyone in America will be able to take a free Uber to get their shot," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a statement.  

"We are honored to deepen our previous global commitments, and partner with the White House and Lyft to provide free rides to vaccination sites across the U.S.," he added.

"More and more Americans continue to get vaccinated every day. Let’s keep moving forward, together."

Kat Jercich is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Twitter: @kjercich
Email: kjercich@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.