Are you on Medicaid and wondering if Medicaid pays for transportation to doctors’ appointments? Are Medicaid Transportation services free for recipients and are there any restrictions? How do you schedule an appointment?
In this post, we will answer all these questions, including providing you contact information for the Medicaid Transportation provider in your state and how to schedule an appointment.
This post will cover:
- What is Medicaid Transportation?
- Medicaid Transportation By State
For the most frequently asked questions, see our Medicaid Transportation FAQs.
What is Medicaid Transportation?
There are two types of medical transportation covered by Medicaid – Emergency, and Non-Emergency.
Emergency Medical Transportation
Medicaid covers the cost of emergency medical transportation for eligible individuals.
An emergency is when your medical needs are immediate. Examples include having a heart attack or being seriously injured in a car accident.
If you experience one of these situations, you may be taken to the emergency room by an ambulance or airlifted by helicopter.
However, you do not need pre-approval for emergency transportation.
If you need a ride to a medical appointment, Medicaid does not consider this an emergency, but you may still be able to get a ride. Here’s how:
NON-Emergency Medical Transportation?
Medicaid covers rides for eligible individuals to and from the doctor’s office, the hospital, or another medical office for Medicaid-approved care.
This coverage is called “non-emergency medical transportation,” (NEMT) because it does not involve a medical emergency.
Medicaid may give you a ride if you do not have a car that works or do not have a driver’s license.
You may also be able to get a ride if you have a physical or mental disability or are unable to travel or wait for a ride alone.
Coverage for these rides may be different depending on your individual situation and needs.
You may need to get your State Medicaid agency’s approval to qualify for a ride.
Non-emergency Medicaid transportation has been a mandatory Medicaid benefit since the program’s inception in 1965.
Federal regulations say that Medicaid beneficiaries can get rides to and from providers when necessary.
States have different rules about when rides are necessary, so make sure you check with your State. (See below for individual state rules around Medicaid Transportation).
Medicaid Expansion
As a result of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid the demand for Medicaid transportation is increased in many states.
Iowa and Indiana have received approval to not extend NEMT service to Medicaid recipients who were added due to Medicaid expansion.
Why Is Medicaid Transportation Necessary?
When traveling to medical appointments, a Medicaid beneficiary is expected to use the same mode of transportation as the beneficiary would use to carry out the activities of daily life.
Generally, this mode is public transit or a personal vehicle.
However, among some low-income beneficiaries, 24–51 percent report missing or rescheduling outpatient medical appointments because of unreliable transportation.
For these beneficiaries, Medicaid Transportation provides a critical government benefit in helping them get to and from medical appointments.
Does Medicaid pay for transportation to doctor appointments?
Are doctors’ appointment transportation covered by Medicaid? Yes.
Medicaid enrollees regularly use Medicaid Transportation for all kinds of medical appointments and doctor visits.
This includes transportation to get to dialysis, substance abuse treatments and chronic care visits for diabetes.
Over half the trips taken today are for life-sustaining treatments.
Is there free transportation for Medicare patients?
State Medicaid programs are required to provide necessary transportation for beneficiaries to and from medical appointments.
However, a number of states charge a small fee (copayment) for the service.
To find out if your state charges a copayment for Medicaid transportation, scroll below.
How Do I schedule Medicaid transportation?
Each state has a provider for Medicaid Transportation. To schedule an appointment, scroll below to locate your state for specific instructions on how to schedule an appointment.
What’s the Medicaid transportation number for my State?
To call your state’s Medicaid transportation number for your state, scroll below to locate your state.
To file a complaint about your experience with a Medicaid transportation provider, locate your state below and look for “Medicaid Transportation Administrator” contact information.
Medicaid Transportation Services (State-by-state Guide)
We have provided below details of Medicaid Transportation Services offered in each state.
For each state, we have answered the following question:
- Whether your state offers a Medicaid Transportation program
- Is there a copay required?
- Are there any restrictions on your state’s Medicaid transportation services?
- Contact information for your state’s Medicaid Transportation Administrator
- How to make an appointment and schedule a ride with the Medicaid transportation provider responsible or your area/city/county.
Scroll down to locate your state’s information.
Alabama
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Alaska
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Requires prior authorization
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Arizona
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Only when trip is necessary and the beneficiary has no other means of transportation
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Arkansas
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Yes – Contact the state program administrator for details.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
California
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Specialized transportation requires a prescription from a provider; non-specialized transportation requires the beneficiary to attest that other resources have been reasonably exhausted.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Colorado
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Connecticut
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Transportation for the member’s family will be covered if they need to be present for services, such as family services.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Delaware
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: For medical appointments only
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Florida
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: $1 copayment per one-way trip
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Georgia Medicaid Transportation
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: $1 copay
Any Restrictions on Services?:
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Georgia Medicaid has agreements with several companies to arrange non-emergency transportation to and from medical appointments.
Each company covers different regions of the state. To find out which region your county falls under, scroll below.
How to Make an Appointment
Call the company for your area for help with transportation.
If possible, call at least three days before your appointment.
Here are the numbers to call:
North Georgia: 1-866-388-9844, 678-510-4555 (local)
Atlanta: 404-209-4000
Central Georgia: 1-888-991-6701
East Georgia: 1-888-224-7988
Southwest Georgia: 1-886-443-0761
Georgia Medicaid Transportation Regions
Here are the different regions and the counties that fall under each region.
North Region
NEMT Broker Phone Number: Southeastrans Local: 678-510-4555 Toll-free: 1-866-388-9844
Counties Served: Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dade, Dawson, Douglas, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Jackson, Lumpkin, Morgan, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, Walton, White and Whitfield
Atlanta Region
NEMT Broker Phone Number: Southeastrans Local: 404-209-4000 For Georgia Families 360°, toll-free: 1-866-991-6701
Counties Served: Fulton, DeKalb and Gwinnett
Central Region
NEMT Broker Phone Number: LogistiCare Toll-free: 1-888-224-7981
Counties Served: Baldwin, Bibb, Bleckley, Butts, Carroll, Clayton, Coweta, Dodge, Fayette, Heard, Henry, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Meriwether, Monroe, Newton, Pike, Putnam, Rockdale, Spalding, Telfair, Troup, Twiggs and Wilkinson
East Region
NEMT Broker Phone Number: LogistiCare Toll-free: 1-888-224-7985 For crisis stabilization units and psychiatric residential treatment facilities, toll-free: 1-800-486-7642, ext. 461 or 436
Counties Served: Appling, Bacon, Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clarke, Columbia, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Glascock, Glynn, Greene, Hancock, Hart, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Madison, McDuffie, McIntosh, Montgomery, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Pierce, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler and Wilkes
Southwest Region
NEMT Broker Phone Number: LogistiCare Toll-free: 1-888-224-7988
Counties Served: Atkinson, Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Chattahoochee, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crawford, Crisp, Decatur, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Grady, Harris, Houston, Irwin, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marion, Miller, Mitchell, Muscogee, Peach, Pulaski, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Seminole, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Upson, Webster, Wilcox and Worth
Hawaii
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Idaho
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Illinois
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Indiana
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: $.50-$2/ non-emergency transport, depending on payment
Any Restrictions on Services?: Prior authorization on non-emergency transports beyond 20 one-way trips/year and non-emergency transports greater than 50 miles.
Not available for beneficiaries that were added due to Medicaid Expansion. Contact state administrator for details.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Iowa
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Not available for beneficiaries that were added due to Medicaid Expansion. Contact state administrator for details.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Iowa Department of Human Services
Kansas
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Kentucky
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Not available if there is a working vehicle in the household.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Louisiana
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Maine
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Maryland
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Massachusetts
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Michigan
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Minnesota
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Mississippi
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Missouri
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: $2.00 copay
Any Restrictions on Services?: Traditional Medicaid Adults are covered for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation to Missouri HealthNet covered services only.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Montana
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: All Medicaid transportation services are reviewed for medical necessity
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Nebraska
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Nevada
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
New Hampshire
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
New Jersey
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Requires prior authorization
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
New Mexico
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
New York
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
North Carolina
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Arranged by local DSS, No NCHC, limit to one procedure per date/time/with same or different provider
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
North Dakota
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Prior authorization required for all transportation services.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Ohio
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Oklahoma
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Oregon
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Brokerage verifies things such as client does not have access to other means of transport, service is within the local area, verification of appointment, etc
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Pennsylvania
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Transportation limited to services covered under the Medical Assistance Program
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Rhode Island
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
South Carolina
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
South Dakota
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Tennessee
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Texas
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Medical Transportation Program requires authorization through the state administrator.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Utah
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Vermont
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Limited to transportation requests fulfilled by brokers; members must not have access to another means of transportation to the medical service; the medical service must be covered by Medicaid, medically necessary and provided by a Medicaid provider; coverage limited to least expensive means of transportation suitable to the individual’s medical needs; requests for transportation must be made with enough advance notice to schedule the ride (at least 48 hours in advance of the appointment)
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Virginia
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Washington
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Requires prior authorization
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
West Virginia
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Non-emergency medical transportation will be provided by a single contracted transportation broker to the nearest medically appropriate and qualified provider not to exceed 125 miles from the members’ home in-state or within 30 miles of the West Virginia border.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Wisconsin
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: $1.00 per trip in a specialized medical vehicle; $2 per trip for non-emergency ambulance; no copayment for transportation by common carrier
Any Restrictions on Services?: Non-emergency transportation services approved and coordinated by a transportation manager
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Wyoming
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: No
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Washington DC
Medicaid Transportation Offered?: Yes
Copayment Required?: No
Any Restrictions on Services?: Requires a physician certification for certain services.
Medicaid Transportation Administrator Contact:
Sources: KFF
Questions about Medicaid Transportation Services?
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