Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT)
The best healthcare services in the world can’t help you if you have no way to get there. Nearly four million Americans miss or delay medical care each year because they lack transportation. While non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) and non-emergency transportation (NET) services account for under 1% of healthcare spending, consistent transportation access to healthcare vastly enhances health outcomes and leads to dramatic cost savings.
MTM Health—one of the nation’s largest and most experienced transportation brokers—thinks outside the box to provide customized solutions catered to our clients’ unique needs. With nearly 30 years of experience in the NEMT industry, MTM Health can help you take on your biggest challenges. MTM Health manages every aspect of the transportation programs we operate, leveraging technology and automation to better manage transportation benefits for Medicaid and Medicare programs, state and county governments, and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs).
What is NEMT?
Transportation is inexpensive compared to the high and rapidly growing cost of healthcare, making it more cost-effective to transport a member to preventative care rather than waiting for a serious health condition to arise. Studies prove that increasing transportation access to medical services results in such significant savings that it justifies increased transportation spending. By offering the medical transportation service to the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and other transportation broker disadvantaged populations, health plans, and state agencies:
- Remove transportation barriers
- Prevent missed medical appointments
- Decrease the impact of chronic disease
- Reduce the costs of inpatient medical treatment to Medicaid recipients
- Save substantial healthcare funding for Medicaid beneficiaries
The MTM Health Advantage
As an industry leader for more than two decades, MTM Health has an impressive track record of working with our clients to manage NEMT. Established in 1995 for the sole purpose of coordinating disparate NEMT services, we were a pioneer in the industry and serve as a true partner in quality transportation. With reduced funding and a rising demand for transportation, MTM Health helps clients do more with less, lowering NEMT costs by up to 25% for previously unmanaged programs.
Fueled by our 2022 acquisition of Veyo, MTM Health uses data and technology to cut NEMT program costs and improve health outcomes for your members. We’re more than just a NEMT broker. We’re part of the continuum of care, collecting meaningful data that will help you make the most out of your investment in NEMT. After all, reliable and punctual transportation leads to fewer missed appointments, better outcomes, healthier members, and ultimately improved HEDIS, STAR, and CAHPS ratings. That’s why we put real-time trip tracking and simple booking tools at members’ fingertips
Flexible Fleets
Managing the complex and dynamic needs of a transportation network can be daunting. MTM Health has rural and urban networks in more than half of the United States and has the experience to quickly and efficiently build networks in new locations—including networks of independently contracted VeyoRide drivers, a model that augments traditional networks of commercial transportation providers with highly qualified and NEMT-specialized rideshare drivers. VeyoRide fleets allow us to serve eligible members in all regions, with a focus on reliability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
We hold transportation providers–including VeyoRide drivers–to high standards for customer service and safety, allowing you to rest assured that your members are in good hands. Drivers meet strict healthcare standards and participate in ADA education; CPR certification; and HIPAA, sensitivity, and medical needs training. They also undergo drug testing and multi-level background checks to ensure safety and the highest level of service quality.
Industry-Changing Technology
Technology is the heart of MTM’s operations, enabling automation, protocol adherence, error reduction, and instant access to data. From MTM Link–our proprietary scheduling platform–to our call mining platform, to stakeholder apps, portals, and IVA systems, we support our vision of zero missed trips. Through MTM Link, we give our stakeholders real-time visibility and transparency into NEMT performance, as well as access to trip scheduling.
Cloud-based, peer-to-peer dispatching, combined with GPS tracking, enables us to dramatically improve on-time performance and service visibility. But what does all that really mean? Our system automatically detects and adjusts for issues like traffic or vehicle breakdowns without disrupting service. We also leverage a proprietary algorithm to predict what demand will look like throughout the day based on historical and future trip data, utilization patterns, and projected pick-up times and delays.
Real-Time Data and Insights
User-friendly, intuitive dashboards give total visibility into trip activity, including scheduling, routes, member communication, payment, and driver feedback. Plus, GPS tracking allows us to know exactly where each vehicle is and what route they’ve taken.
Whether you want to know exactly where a member was dropped off, or how effective pre-trip reminders are, we’ve got the data to do it. In addition to trip activity, we also offer insights into costs, service levels, driver documents and credentials, utilization rates, and member trends, offering unparalleled transparency into your transportation benefit.
#1 in Customer Service
While MTM Health may have evolved our NEMT approach to offer self-service functionality to members, our focus on traditional customer service is unwavering. With more than 600 trained customer service agents located across 21 states, MTM Health handles in excess of 13.5 million calls annually while maintaining industry-leading customer satisfaction rates exceeding 95%.
Our customer service operations exceed National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) standards for speed to answer and abandonment rates, and provide multilingual services to ensure members reach a friendly, helpful representative 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
The NEMT Industry’s Only Healthcare-Credentialed Network of Rideshare Drivers
NEMT plays a crucial role for millions of Americans who rely on consistent and affordable transportation to access healthcare. In the NEMT sector, particularly at a time when on-demand services have become the norm, efficiency, reliability, and adaptability are essential. Balancing these demands with stringent healthcare compliance can be a daunting task, which is where MTM’s VeyoRide model excels.
VeyoRide has transformed the NEMT industry as the only rideshare fleet with healthcare credentials. Through this model, MTM Health has become more agile and responsive to the changing needs of our clients and their Medicaid and Medicare members. Independent VeyoRide drivers work alongside our traditional transportation providers, creating the most responsive and dependable system in NEMT today, with all activities monitored in real-time.
VeyoRide is not just another rideshare service. It’s a strategic asset that enables MTM Health to deliver high quality transportation while adding flexibility to our operational model. Here’s what distinguishes VeyoRide from other NEMT brokers and rideshare services:
Healthcare-Credentialed Drivers
MTM’s network of independent VeyoRide drivers is the only rideshare solution in the NEMT space that meets all state and federal regulations, as well as our clients’ rigorous standards. Compliance is more than just meeting requirements—it’s a commitment to providing the highest level of NEMT service. VeyoRide drivers undergo extensive training and credentialing to meet all necessary criteria, including first aid, CPR, HIPAA, ADA, patient sensitivity, and hand-to-hand service. This healthcare-credentialed approach is unique in the rideshare industry, setting a new benchmark for safety and quality.
Scalability and Reliability
VeyoRide merges the adaptability of rideshare companies with the credentialing and training typical of traditional transportation providers. Whether scaling up to meet demand, accommodating last-minute trips, or supporting hospital discharges, VeyoRide drivers are ready to provide coverage and ensure a smooth NEMT experience. For example, addressing short-notice trip recovery is a common challenge in NEMT. By leveraging VeyoRide, MTM Health has improved our success rate on these trips, reducing disruptions and enhancing service consistency for our clients.
Real-Time Flexibility
MTM’s traditional transportation providers seamlessly integrate with our unique VeyoRide model. Rather than replacing transportation providers, VeyoRide drivers complement the network, allowing us to scale capacity within minutes to meet demand wherever and whenever it arises. The result is improved on-time rates, faster responses to will-calls, and the ability to handle last-minute requests.
A Unified Network of VeyoRide Drivers and Transportation Providers
MTM’s traditional transportation providers seamlessly integrate with our unique VeyoRide model. Rather than replacing transportation providers, VeyoRide drivers complement the network, allowing us to scale capacity within minutes to meet demand wherever and whenever it arises. The result is improved on-time rates, faster responses to will-calls, and the ability to handle last-minute requests.
Empowering Local Entrepreneurs through VeyoRide
Our model is about more than just top-notch transportation—it’s about empowering local community members to build their businesses. By joining the VeyoRide network as independent contractors, individuals in the communities we serve have the chance to contribute to their neighbors’ well-being while running their own transportation enterprises.
How Does VeyoRide Compare?
In the NEMT industry, MTM’s VeyoRide model embodies innovation, flexibility, and compliance, allowing us to deliver outstanding service.
| Consumer Rideshare Companies |   | Traditional NEMT Brokers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rideshare Technology / IDPs | X | X | |
| Stringent Credentialing Process | X | X | |
| Real-Time, GPS-Enabled App | X | X | |
| Member Management | X | X | |
| Support For All Ages, Modes, and Regions | X | X | |
| Door-to-Door Service | X | X | |
| Real-Time Coordination of Supply | X | X | |
| GPS-Enabled Trip Tracking | X | X | |
| Real-Time End-to-End Trip Management | X | ||
| Virtual Fleets | X | ||
| Predictive Analytics and Supply Matching | X | X | |
| A Single Platform to Manage Member, Trip, and Provider Data | X | ||
| End-to-End Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Monitoring | X | ||
| Full Transparency | X | ||
| Member App | X |
Frequently Asked Questions About NEMT
Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is a vital benefit that provides transportation for Medicaid and Medicare members who need assistance getting to and from medical appointments. NEMT ensures that individuals without access to reliable transportation can still receive essential healthcare services, such as doctor visits, dialysis treatments, physical therapy, and behavioral health appointments. As an industry-leading NEMT broker, MTM Health partners with health plans and government agencies to coordinate safe, efficient, and compliant transportation solutions.
Yes, Medicaid covers transportation to medical appointments through its NEMT benefit. Federal regulations require state Medicaid programs to provide NEMT for eligible members who have no other means of getting to covered healthcare services. The level of coverage and service models vary by state and health plan, but Medicaid may include transportation via rideshare, public transit, wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and non-emergency ambulance services. MTM Health works with Medicaid agencies and managed care organizations to optimize NEMT delivery, reduce costs, and improve health outcomes.
Traditional/original Medicare generally does not cover routine NEMT services, except in specific cases where ambulance transportation is deemed medically necessary. However, many Medicare Advantage plans offer supplemental NEMT benefits, providing members with access to rides for doctor’s appointments, pharmacy visits, and preventive care. MTM Health partners with Medicare Advantage plans to design cost-effective, technology-driven transportation solutions that enhance the member experience and support better health outcomes.
Outsourcing NEMT services to an experienced broker like MTM Health allows health plans and state agencies to reduce administrative burdens, improve service efficiency, and enhance member satisfaction. MTM Health leverages advanced technology, a nationwide transportation network, and rigorous compliance measures to ensure high-quality, cost-effective transportation. By streamlining scheduling, reducing fraud and abuse, and optimizing route efficiency, we help clients control costs while ensuring reliable access to care for their members.
MTM Health upholds the highest quality and compliance standards through a combination of credentialing, monitoring, and performance management. We require all transportation providers in our network to meet strict safety, licensing, and training requirements. Our real-time GPS tracking, trip verification technology, and quality assurance programs help prevent fraud, waste, and abuse while ensuring every ride meets contractual and regulatory standards. Additionally, our member feedback tools and complaint resolution processes continuously enhance service quality.
MTM Health employs a multi-layered approach to fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) prevention, combining technology, AI-based analytics, and rigorous oversight. Our real-time GPS tracking and electronic trip verification processes confirm that rides occur as scheduled, eliminating fraudulent billing for unfulfilled trips. Additionally, our proprietary data analytics tools detect anomalies such as excessive trip requests or unusual routing patterns. We also conduct routine audits and provider credentialing to ensure only qualified, compliant transportation providers participate in our network.
The types of transportation available through NEMT programs depend on the member’s medical needs and mobility requirements. MTM Health coordinates a wide range of transportation modes, including:
- Sedan rides for ambulatory members, including those completed through our proprietary VeyoRide model
- Rideshare and public transit for cost-effective, flexible transport
- Wheelchair-accessible vehicles for members who require mobility assistance
- Non-emergency ambulance transport for those needing medical assistance during transit
- Stretcher transport for non-ambulatory members who do not require emergency medical care
By offering a diverse transportation network, MTM Health ensures that members receive the most appropriate, efficient, and cost-effective ride for their needs.
MTM Health is committed to improving health equity by removing transportation barriers that prevent underserved populations from accessing care. Our member-focused approach ensures that individuals in rural areas, low-income communities, and those with disabilities receive equitable, timely transportation. We also prioritize culturally competent service delivery, offering multilingual support and accommodating unique needs, such as assistance for visually impaired passengers. By integrating NEMT into broader social determinants of health (SDOH) strategies, we help health plans and state agencies improve health outcomes and reduce disparities.
MTM Health leverages our proprietary MTM Link platform to streamline and optimize every aspect of NEM) coordination. MTM Link is an advanced, cloud-based system designed to improve efficiency, transparency, and the overall member experience. Key features include:
- Automated Trip Scheduling and Optimization: MTM Link uses intelligent routing algorithms to match members with the most efficient transportation option, reducing costs and improving on-time performance.
- Real-Time GPS Tracking: Health plans and state agencies gain full visibility into trip statuses, while GPS tracking ensures rides occur as scheduled, reducing fraud, waste, and abuse.
- Member and Medical Facility Portals: Our self-service portals allow members and healthcare facilities to book, modify, and track trips in real time, reducing call center dependency and enhancing user convenience.
- MTM Link Driver App: Transportation providers use our mobile app for real-time trip management, turn-by-turn navigation, and instant ride verification, ensuring smooth, efficient operations.
- Data Analytics and Reporting: MTM Health generates in-depth performance insights, allowing clients to monitor key metrics, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to improve NEMT service delivery.
By integrating cutting-edge technology with industry best practices, MTM Link ensures seamless NEMT coordination that enhances access to care, improves member satisfaction, and drives cost efficiencies for health plans and state agencies.
