How to find a Medicaid transportation provider in New York

1. 1

   Confirm your coverage

   Active New York Medicaid travels free through MAS; other coverage uses a different path.

2. 2

   Check the provider serves your area

   Confirm they cover your county (DachiPlus serves all of Nassau and Suffolk) and handle your mobility needs.

3. 3

   Look for licensing and reviews

   Choose a licensed NEMT provider with door-through-door service and strong local reviews.

4. 4

   Call MAS at 1-844-666-6270

   Book at least 72 hours ahead with your CIN and appointment details.

5. 5

   Request the provider by name

   Say “I would like DachiPlus to be my transportation provider.” MAS considers your choice once the right type of transportation is set.

6. 6

   Confirm the assignment

   Note your confirmation number; call the provider directly to verify availability if you like.

How does New York Medicaid assign transportation providers?

New York State contracts with MAS (Medical Answering Services) to manage Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) across the state. When you call MAS, an agent verifies your eligibility, confirms your appointment is a covered medical service, and then assigns the trip to a credentialed provider in your area.

The order MAS follows is written into the state's Medicaid Transportation Policy Manual (section 2.3, effective August 25, 2023), which tasks the broker with assigning approvable trips "based first upon the medically appropriate mode of transportation, then by enrollee's choice among participating transportation vendors, and finally, at the discretion of the transportation broker." In plain terms, MAS first decides the right type of transportation for your trip, then considers your choice of provider among the companies enrolled for that type.

Can I choose my own Medicaid transportation provider in New York?

You can ask for one. When you call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 to book a ride, you can ask for DachiPlus by name. MAS's own enrollee FAQ puts it this way: "MAS assigns trips on the following basis within the appropriate mode of transportation: 1) enrollee's freedom of choice, 2) medical provider's freedom of choice, and 3) rotation." Your request is weighed in that order rather than promised, and the Department of Health notes that choice can be restricted, for example when a Preferred Provider covers a certain region.

There is no extra step or paperwork required. You simply tell the MAS agent which provider you would like during the booking call.

How do I request a specific NEMT provider through MAS?

During your call to MAS at 1-844-666-6270, the agent will ask if you have a provider preference. Say the provider's name clearly. For DachiPlus:

On the MAS call, have your Medicaid ID number and your appointment date, time, and address ready. If MAS asks for confirmation that you've used the provider before, you can say you were referred to us or that you've heard of us. Your choice is considered within the type of transportation your trip needs, so if your trip calls for a level of service DachiPlus does not provide, MAS assigns a company that does.

What if my preferred provider is not available?

If DachiPlus doesn't have availability for your specific date and time, MAS will offer to assign a different provider. You have a few options:

• Ask MAS if a slightly different pickup time the same day would allow DachiPlus to be assigned.
• Accept MAS's assigned provider for that trip and request DachiPlus for your next appointment.
• Book the trip privately by calling DachiPlus directly at (516) 754-7777 — private-pay trips do not go through MAS.

How to verify a provider is actually Medicaid-credentialed

Not every van service advertising "medical transportation" is enrolled with New York Medicaid, and riding with a non-credentialed provider means the trip is not covered. Before you rely on any provider for Medicaid trips, verify three things:

• They exist in the MAS database. The simplest check: call MAS and ask to be assigned to that provider by name. If MAS cannot find them, they are not credentialed for Medicaid NEMT in your county, whatever their website says.
• Their certification matches your mobility needs. If you must remain in your wheelchair during transport, the provider needs DOH-certified ambulette vehicles, not just a van with a ramp. Ask directly: "Are you certified for ambulette-level transport?"
• They never ask a Medicaid member for money. Medicaid NEMT through MAS is free to the member. A provider requesting cash, a "booking fee," or a tip for a MAS-assigned trip is violating program rules; report it to MAS and choose someone else.

Recurring appointments: ask your provider's office for a standing order

If you go to dialysis, chemotherapy, or therapy at the same place on the same days each week, ask your dialysis center or doctor's office to request a standing order through MAS. A standing order is prescheduled Medicaid transportation for recurring appointments at the same location, so you do not need to call MAS before every single trip. Under the state's Standing Order Policy (effective October 1, 2020), only your medical provider's office can enter a standing order. MAS does not accept standing orders from members, family members, or transportation companies.

This is also where your provider preference matters most. When your provider's office enters the standing order, ask them to list DachiPlus as your preferred transportation provider. If MAS assigns the standing order to us, the same company, and often the same driver, handles each trip. For dialysis patients riding three times a week, that consistency is the difference between a stressful commute and a routine. A standing order lasts up to six months and does not renew on its own, so ask your provider's office to renew it before it ends. Your treatment center's social worker or scheduler can tell you who at the center handles it.

How do I find DachiPlus for trips in Nassau or Suffolk County?

DachiPlus is a credentialed Medicaid NEMT provider through MAS, serving all of Nassau and Suffolk County. When you call MAS and say "DachiPlus," MAS will find us in their provider database for Long Island. You do not need a provider ID or referral code — just the name.

For private-pay trips, hospital discharges, or same-day urgent needs, call us directly at (516) 754-7777.