Become a Medicaid Transportation Provider

Medicaid is a government health assistance program that is managed by the state and is usually funded by the federal government. Medicaid’s main goal is to provide financial assistance for the health and medical needs of people included in the lower income bracket which is set by the state government. Since health care can be expensive, a good number of people and their families cannot afford to get health care services or health insurance for themselves. There are even cases of people who are not part of the lower income level but can be in need of Medicaid assistance because of their situations, mostly during times of long periods of illness. These can use up an individual’s savings and assets in a very short period. An example of these is when elderly citizens need nursing home care.

A person can avail of Medicaid benefits if they qualify to specific criteria. These requirements can be different from state to state, and some are quite stringent in their qualifying criteria. One thing similar among these criteria is that the person applying to receive Medicaid assistance must have limited financial resources. These resources include bank accounts, stocks, life insurance and real estate in addition to the house they own.

One of the benefits that Medicaid recipients are entitled to is help for transportation needs when going to medical consultations which are included in their Medicaid coverage. These consultations should be of a non-emergency nature. Medicaid transportation can give recipients a cheaper and convenient alternative especially if they have no other option when going to consultations to doctors or accredited health institutions and providers. The vehicles used by Medicaid transportation providers are usually prepared in order to accommodate people who are in stretchers, wheelchairs and those who use walkers or canes like elderly people. The vehicles must also be easily accessible, meaning the patient can go in or out of the vehicle without any difficulty.

Also included in Medicaid transportation are refunds for ambulance rides and compensation or free bus tokens or passes and taxi service. There are also volunteer groups which are usually accredited with the Department of Human Services.

If a person or company is interested to become a Medicaid transportation provider, they must first check with the local state Medicaid office for their requirements for Medicaid transportation providers. Requirements may differ in each state, and they may have specific types of assistance which they give to their Medicaid recipients. Some states utilize only bus companies or taxi services, while there are others which rely heavily on volunteers. There are also a number of states which also require Medicaid transportation providers to be accredited by the local Department of Health and Human Services.

The common criteria that most states require interested parties in order to become Medicaid transportation provider are:

• The applicant must not be younger than 19 years old
• They must have no offense, tickets or record of any kind with the DMV or police
• Companies or groups must make sure that their drivers also meet the requirements established by the state
• Tax and Business registration (for companies)

Applicants must also remember to prepare their vehicles, or modify if needed, to better accommodate the needs of Medicaid patients. Some states also check the vehicle appropriateness for transporting Medicaid recipients. Most states also require Medicaid transportation providers to submit updated documents and records in order to be awarded continued accreditation and licensing.