Lyft Healthcare said it has partnered with ChenMed, a provider of primary care services to Medicare ... [+]

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Lyft said its healthcare business is expanding a new service for riders who need more “physical assistance” for their doctor’s office visits and other healthcare appointments.

Lyft Healthcare Friday said it has partnered with ChenMed, a provider of primary care services, to offer “Lyft Assisted” in more than 20 U.S. markets. Lyft described the new service as an “enhanced level for riders who want light physical assistance door-to-door for their healthcare appointments.”

Lyft’s new assisted service comes as the company and rival Uber expand deeper into the healthcare industry.  Just this week, Uber Health announced plans to hire its first chief medical officer as both companies form partnerships with medical care providers and health insurers who are increasingly covering everything from ride share to appointments to prescription delivery.

“Lyft Assisted demonstrates Lyft Healthcare’s dedication to narrowing the transportation divide, similar to how others have narrowed the digital divide throughout the pandemic,” Buck Poropatich, Head of Lyft Healthcare said. “We launched late last year with a flagship partner, ChenMed—a clear demonstration of Lyft’s commitment to the healthcare vertical and the populations that we serve.”

In Lyft’s partnership with ChenMed, drivers meet riders at the front doors of their homes or the healthcare facility, “to lend an arm, help with the rider’s light personal belongings, and walk the rider to and from the car,” a Lyft spokeswoman said. ChenMed operates medical centers primarily for Medicare eligible seniors across the country.

Lyft says the service is popular with elderly riders or other customers with “mild mobility” issues such as visual impairments or people unable to drive following a surgery. Participating Lyft Assisted drivers must complete a training “tutorial” to learn how to provide potential physical assistance needs.

Lyft Assisted, which is currently in nine markets, will grow to 21 by March. The service is currently available in the Florida markets of Tampa, Orlando, Lakeland, Bradenton, Broward/Palm Beach and Miami, as well as Atlanta, Ga. and the Virginia markets of Tidewater and Richmond.

In March, new markets will be: Louisville, Ky; New Orleans; Jacksonville, Fla.; the Ohio markets of Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati; Detroit; Houston; St. Louis, Mo.; Memphis, Tenn. And the Indiana markets of Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.

“We’ve gotten incredibly positive feedback as shown by the 4.9 of 5.0 passenger rating on Lyft Assisted rides,” Poropatich said. “Due to the tremendous success that we’ve seen, we will continue scaling this throughout the first half of 2022.”