Transportation Services
Medi-Cal offers transportation to and from appointments for services covered by Medi-Cal. This includes transportation to medical, dental, mental health, or substance use disorder appointments, and to pick up prescriptions and medical supplies.
There are two types of transportation for appointments. Nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) is transportation by ambulance, wheelchair van, or litter van for those who cannot use public or private transportation. Nonmedical transportation (NMT) is transportation by private or public vehicle for people who do not have another way to get to their appointment.
When requesting transportation, be sure to contact the transportation provider as soon as you can before an appointment. If you have many appointments, you can also request transportation to cover those appointments.
What do I need to do?
Non Medical Transportation
Non Medical Transportation (NMT) is available to people with full-scope Medi-Cal or who are pregnant, including to the end of the month in which the 60th day postpartum falls.
If you receive Medi-Cal through a managed care plan, contact your plan’s member service department to request NMT. Beneficiaries will need to attest to their managed care plan that all other currently available resources have been reasonably exhausted.
To set up a ride, you can call your health care provider and ask about transportation providers in your area. When you contact the transportation provider, they will ask you for information about your appointment date and time. You will need to verbally let them know that you do not have any other way to get to your appointment.
DHCS will post a list of NMT providers on the DHCS website. Until the list of transportation providers is posted, DHCS has developed a process to assist FFS Medi-Cal beneficiaries with their transportation needs. Beneficiaries or their designees may email
DHCS-Benefits@dhcs.ca.gov requesting assistance if their provider is not able to arrange NMT. Please do NOT include personal information in your first email. DHCS staff will reply with a secure email asking for your information about the appointment.
Non Emergency Medical Transportation
If you receive Medi-Cal through a managed care plan, please contact your plan’s member service department to request NEMT. You will need a prescription from a licensed provider.
If you have FFS Medi-Cal, please inform your medical provider. They can prescribe NEMT and put you in touch with a transportation provider to coordinate your ride to and from your appointment(s).
Medi-Cal Transportation Providers
In FFS and managed care, licensed, professional medical transportation companies are able to provide NMT and NEMT. In addition, Medi-Cal managed care plans also contract with other transportation providers for these services.
NMT does not require prior authorization.
Resources
The following are resources and reference materials for beneficiaries and providers regarding Medi-Cal transportation services.
Contact Us
Please direct your comments and questions to
DHCS-Benefits@dhcs.ca.gov. (Do not include personal information, such as your Client Identification Number (CIN) or home address.)