Nonemergency Medical Transportation : Program Features & Issues

Medicare and Medicaid provide nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) services to eligible beneficiaries who need transportation to scheduled nonemergency care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administers Medicare NEMT benefits and is responsible for overseeing Medicaid at the federal level. Spending on NEMT under these programs was $2.7 billion in 2013-$1.2 billion for Medicare and $1.5 billion for Medicaid. Increased demand for NEMT because of increased Medicaid enrollment has led states to seek ways to more efficiently operate NEMT. This book examines key features of NEMT services under Medicare and Medicaid and how these services are delivered; steps CMS has taken to oversee NEMT under Medicare as well as Medicaid; and the challenges that exist in providing NEMT under Medicaid and steps that selected state Medicaid agencies have taken to address those challenges.