# How much does Medicaid pay for NEMT? > How much does Medicaid pay providers for non-emergency medical transportation in New York? Rate structure explained. Source: https://dachiplus.com/resources/how-much-does-medicaid-pay-for-nemt/ Updated May 2026 Medicaid pays NEMT providers (like DachiPlus) directly — the patient pays nothing. Here's how the rate structure works in New York. Medicaid members pay **nothing out-of-pocket** for approved medical transportation in New York — Medicaid reimburses the provider directly through MAS. NY State DOH sets rates by trip type, vehicle category, and distance. DachiPlus is paid after each completed trip. Call [(516) 754-7777](tel:+15167547777) to book. ## What Medicaid pays for NEMT ## How much does the Medicaid member pay? First, the most important thing: **Medicaid members pay zero out-of-pocket for approved medical transportation.** No copay, no fare, no fee. The provider is paid by Medicaid through the broker (MAS in New York). ## How are NY Medicaid NEMT rates determined? The [New York State Department of Health](https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/members/medtrans_overview.htm) sets reimbursement rates for NEMT services. Rates vary by: - **Trip type:** Ambulatory, wheelchair, stretcher, long-distance. - **Vehicle category:** Sedan, ambulette, livery, stretcher van. - **Region:** Downstate (NYC, Long Island, Westchester) rates differ from upstate. - **Distance and time:** Loaded miles, wait time. ## How do NEMT providers get reimbursed by Medicaid? The provider completes the trip, submits documentation through the MAS portal, and receives reimbursement from Medicaid (typically within 30 days). Providers are responsible for verifying the member's eligibility, completing the trip as authorized, and submitting clean documentation. ## What do Medicaid members need to know about NEMT costs? For booking purposes, very little: call MAS, request DachiPlus, and show up. Our [complete MAS guide](https://dachiplus.com/resources/mas-medicaid-guide/) covers the process. But most members who look up reimbursement rates are not curious about the fee schedule — they are holding a bill, or worried one is coming. That question deserves a direct answer. ## If you received a bill for a Medicaid-authorised trip A trip that MAS authorised and that was completed as authorised should cost you nothing. There is no copay and no fare for NEMT, and the provider is reimbursed by Medicaid directly. Billing a Medicaid member for the balance of a covered service — charging the difference between a provider's usual price and what Medicaid paid — is not permitted, so an invoice for an authorised trip is an error rather than a shortfall you are expected to make up. Deal with it as an error. Call the provider first with the trip date and your confirmation number, because in practice most of these are billing-system mistakes that get withdrawn once someone looks at the record. If the charge is not withdrawn, raise it with [MAS at 1-844-666-6270](tel:+18446666270), which holds the authorisation and can confirm the trip was covered, and with your local Department of Social Services. Do not pay it to make it go away — paying an incorrect bill makes it considerably harder to unwind afterwards. ## When a charge is legitimate There are situations where a bill is correct, and knowing them saves an unnecessary dispute. If the trip was never authorised through MAS — you called a provider directly and arranged it yourself — it is a private-pay trip and is billed accordingly. The same applies when the destination is not a Medicaid-covered service, when Medicaid coverage had lapsed on the date of travel, or when you booked a companion-only trip with no covered service for the member. In each case the appropriate route is our [private-pay pricing](https://dachiplus.com/pay/private-pay/), quoted before the trip rather than after it. The rate structure also explains something members notice but are rarely told: because reimbursement is calculated on loaded miles and vehicle type, a long trip from the East End of Suffolk occupies a vehicle far longer than a short run within Nassau for a proportionally smaller return. That is why lengthy trips are harder to place at short notice, and why booking early matters more the further you are from the hospital you are heading to. Wait time works the same way. An appointment of unpredictable length is expensive in vehicle hours regardless of the mileage, which is the practical reason a will-call return — where you telephone once you are actually finished — tends to be placed more readily than a scheduled return held open for an hour. None of this changes what you pay, since the answer there remains nothing. It changes what is realistic to ask for, and asking for the thing that is realistic is usually the difference between a trip that happens and one that gets refused. ## What do NEMT providers need to know about Medicaid billing? If you're researching how to start a NEMT business in New York, the [NY State DOH NEMT page](https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/members/medtrans_overview.htm) and the [MAS provider portal](https://wp2.medanswering.com/) are the right starting points. We don't share provider-specific rate information. ## Related questions ## How do I book Medicaid medical transportation in Suffolk or Nassau County? In New York, Medicaid transportation is coordinated through Medical Answering Services (MAS) at 1-844-666-6270. You call MAS at least 72 hours before your appointment, provide your Medicaid ID, appointment information, and any mobility needs, and request that DachiPlus be assigned as your provider. MAS will confirm the trip and notify us to dispatch a vehicle. ## How much does Medicaid medical transportation cost? Medicaid medical transportation is free to eligible Medicaid members. There is no copay, fare, or out-of-pocket cost for trips approved through MAS. The provider bills Medicaid directly. ## How much does Medicaid pay providers for non-emergency transportation? Medicaid reimbursement rates for non-emergency medical transportation are set by the New York State Department of Health and vary by trip type — ambulatory, wheelchair, stretcher, and long-distance trips each have different rates. Rates also vary by region. The provider receives payment directly from Medicaid; the patient pays nothing. ## Sources - [Medical Answering Services (MAS) — NY Medicaid transportation broker](https://www.medanswering.com/) - [NY State Dept. of Health — Medicaid for Members](https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/members/) ## Related resources ## Is NEMT Covered by Insurance? ## What Does Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Cost? ## What Is NEMT? Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Explained ## Who Pays for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation?