# Missed dialysis or chemo because your ride never came? Here's what to do > If you missed dialysis or chemo because your ride never came, here's what to do right now on Long Island — call your clinic, get a fast replacement ride, report the no-show. Source: https://dachiplus.com/resources/what-should-you-do-if-you-missed-dialysis-or-chemo-because-your-ride-never-came/ Updated September 2026 If you missed dialysis or chemo because your ride never came, call your clinic first so they can log the missed treatment and find you a same-day or next-morning slot, then book a replacement ride fast. On Long Island you can get a driver dispatched the same day. Call [(516) 754-7777](tel:+15167547777) or Medicaid patients call MAS at [1-844-666-6270](tel:+18446666270). Ride never showed? Call your clinic first, then get a replacement ride and report the no-show. **Medicaid:** call MAS at [1-844-666-6270](tel:+18446666270). **Private pay:** call [(516) 754-7777](tel:+15167547777). ## First thing: call your clinic, not just the transport company Call the dialysis or oncology center before you do anything else so they know you missed treatment and can offer a makeup slot. Missing dialysis is not like missing a checkup — one skipped session can push up your potassium and fluid, and the staff need to know so they can squeeze you back in. Centers across Long Island run tight schedules, so calling early matters. If you dialyze at [Stony Brook University Hospital](https://dachiplus.com/facilities/stony-brook-university-hospital/) or a chair at Fresenius Bay Shore, ask directly: "Can you fit me in later today or first thing tomorrow?" Many units in Suffolk County hold a few evening slots for exactly this. For chemo, the same call to your infusion nurse gets a reschedule started, often within a few days. Write down who you spoke to and what they told you. Then move on to the ride. The clinic's clinical advice comes first; the transport fix comes second. If you feel short of breath, swollen, or unwell after a missed dialysis run, treat that as an emergency and call 911 — a no-show ride is not a reason to wait it out at home. ## Get a replacement ride the same day on Long Island Book a same-day replacement ride the moment you have a new appointment time — don't sit and wait for the original no-show driver to reappear. For private pay, call DachiPlus directly at [(516) 754-7777](tel:+15167547777); we dispatch across Nassau and Suffolk Counties Monday through Saturday, 6 AM to 8 PM. We handle [dialysis transportation](https://dachiplus.com/services/dialysis-transportation/) and [chemotherapy and oncology transport](https://dachiplus.com/services/chemotherapy-transportation/), including wheelchair-accessible vehicles when you need the chair secured. If you use a wheelchair, ask for [wheelchair user transportation](https://dachiplus.com/services/wheelchair-transportation/) so the right van is sent the first time. Give the dispatcher your pickup address, the clinic name, and whether you need help to the door. Same-day rides depend on driver availability, so the earlier you call after the missed appointment, the better your odds of making a later slot. Patients in towns like [Bay Shore](https://dachiplus.com/service-area/suffolk-county/bay-shore/) and [Brentwood](https://dachiplus.com/service-area/suffolk-county/brentwood/) often reach a dialysis chair within the hour when they call early enough. See the full [Suffolk County service area](https://dachiplus.com/service-area/suffolk-county/) for coverage details. ## Medicaid riders: report the no-show and rebook through MAS If Medicaid paid for the ride that never came, report the no-show to MAS at [1-844-666-6270](tel:+18446666270) so it's logged against that provider and you can arrange a new trip. Medical Answering Services is the state broker that assigns your NEMT provider, and they track missed and late trips. Tell them the date, the appointment, and that the driver never arrived. For an urgent same-day medical need like dialysis, ask MAS whether they can authorize an urgent trip — the standard [72-hour advance rule](https://dachiplus.com/resources/medicaid-72-hour-rule-ny/) has exceptions for urgent, unscheduled care. Learn how the process works in our [MAS Medicaid guide](https://dachiplus.com/resources/mas-medicaid-guide/) and the overview of [how Medicaid transportation works](https://dachiplus.com/how-it-works/medicaid/) in New York. Going forward, when you rebook your standing rides, request DachiPlus by name so the same reliable provider handles your weekly trips. If your provider keeps missing pickups, MAS can reassign you — you do not have to keep using a company that leaves you stranded. Medicaid riders across Nassau County have the same right to a dependable, on-time ride. ## Why rides fail — and how to lock in your next one Most no-shows come from one-off bookings, driver shortages, or a schedule that was never confirmed the day before. The fix for recurring dialysis and chemo patients is a standing round-trip — the same pickup, same clinic, same time, locked in every week. DachiPlus sets up repeating schedules so your Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday dialysis run in Suffolk, or your daily radiation course near [Good Samaritan Hospital](https://dachiplus.com/facilities/good-samaritan-hospital/), is already on the board. Confirm the trip the afternoon before and keep the dispatcher's number in your phone. When you first choose a provider, ask the right [questions to ask before booking](https://dachiplus.com/resources/questions-to-ask-before-booking/) — how they handle backups, whether they call if a driver runs late, and how fast they can send a replacement. For treatment courses that can't be missed, reliability beats price every time. Our pages for [dialysis patients](https://dachiplus.com/who-we-serve/dialysis-patients/) and [radiation therapy transportation](https://dachiplus.com/services/radiation-therapy-transportation/) explain how standing schedules work. A locked-in weekly ride is the single best way to make sure a driver never leaves you sitting on the curb again. ## Keep a backup plan so one missed ride isn't a crisis Have a second option ready before you ever need it, because a missed dialysis or chemo trip is too serious to solve from scratch under pressure. Save two transport numbers in your phone, keep a family member on a call list, and know your clinic's after-hours line. If a family member can drive, our guide on whether a [family member can ride along on Medicaid transport](https://dachiplus.com/resources/family-member-ride-along-medicaid-transport/) covers the rules. Some Medicare Advantage plans include a set number of NEMT trips a year — check our breakdown of [Medicare Advantage transportation benefits](https://dachiplus.com/resources/medicare-advantage-transportation-benefits/) to see if yours does. For private-pay backup on short notice, DachiPlus covers both counties; browse [all NEMT services](https://dachiplus.com/services/) to see what we run. Patients in Nassau towns like [Baldwin](https://dachiplus.com/service-area/nassau-county/baldwin/) and across the North Shore keep our number saved for exactly this. One dropped ride shouldn't turn into a missed week of treatment — a backup plan turns an emergency into a phone call. ## Frequently Asked Questions Call your clinic first so they know you missed treatment and can advise on a same-day slot. Then call a transport company that can dispatch fast. Private pay: call DachiPlus at (516) 754-7777. Medicaid: call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 and report the no-show ride. Missing a single dialysis session can cause fluid overload, high potassium, and breathing trouble. Do not just wait for the next scheduled day. Call your clinic — like Fresenius Bay Shore or DaVita Smithtown — and ask whether they can fit you in later that day or the next morning. Yes. Call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 and report the missed trip so it's logged against that provider. You can also switch providers for future rides — request DachiPlus by name when you book your next trip at least 72 hours ahead. Call your oncology center immediately; infusion chairs are scheduled tightly and they may reschedule you within days. Then arrange a reliable ride for the makeup appointment. DachiPlus handles chemotherapy and infusion transport across Nassau and Suffolk. Book standing round-trips instead of one-off rides, confirm the day before, and use a provider with local dispatch. For recurring dialysis or chemo across Long Island, DachiPlus can set up a repeating schedule so the same trip is locked in weekly. ## 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/) - [Medicare — Coverage of ambulance and medical transport services](https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/ambulance-services) ## Book NEMT on Long Island If your ride left you stranded, DachiPlus can get you to dialysis or chemo across Nassau and Suffolk Counties — and set up a standing schedule so it doesn't happen again. **Medicaid patients:** call MAS at [1-844-666-6270](tel:+18446666270) at least 72 hours before your appointment and request DachiPlus. **Private pay:** call DachiPlus directly at [(516) 754-7777](tel:+15167547777). ## Related resources ## Medical Ride Never Came Back? What To Do ## How to Schedule a MAS Ride to Dialysis in Babylon ## Medical Transport Billing Charges to Never Accept ## Can a Family Member Ride Along in Medicaid Transportation?