Who Uses Non-Emergency Medical Transportation?

Dialysis Patients: The Most Frequent NEMT Riders

Dialysis patients are the single largest group using non-emergency medical transportation on Long Island, because hemodialysis typically runs three sessions per week, every week, for years. After a three-to-four-hour session, patients often leave with blood pressure swings and fatigue that make driving dangerous — and sometimes impossible. That's why the question of whether a dialysis patient can drive themselves home almost always has the same answer: they shouldn't.

DachiPlus provides dialysis transportation to centers across Nassau and Suffolk Counties, including Fresenius Deer Park, Fresenius Lindenhurst, Fresenius Bay Shore, DaVita Selden, and DaVita Smithtown. Medicaid-enrolled patients in Suffolk County can have trips covered; call MAS at 1-844-666-6270 at least 72 hours before each session and request DachiPlus by name. For a detailed walkthrough of how that process works, see the guide to getting free transportation to dialysis.

Seniors Who Can No Longer Drive Safely

Seniors make up a large share of NEMT riders because aging brings together several barriers at once: vision changes, medications that affect reaction time, conditions like Parkinson's or dementia, and the simple loss of a license after a lapse in health. For a Nassau County senior in Bellmore or a Suffolk County resident in Commack, losing a driver's license doesn't mean losing access to doctors — not if NEMT is in place.

Senior medical transportation through DachiPlus includes door-to-door assistance: the driver comes to the front door, helps the rider to the vehicle, and stays until the patient is safely inside the clinic or facility. Many seniors also attend adult day programs; adult day program transportation follows the same model with fixed weekly schedules. Families managing a parent's care often find that a reliable NEMT account removes one of the biggest stressors from their week. More options are covered in the senior transportation on Long Island overview.

Wheelchair Users and People With Mobility Disabilities

Anyone who uses a manual or power wheelchair and can't fit in a standard vehicle needs a wheelchair-accessible van (WAV) with a ramp or lift and proper tie-down equipment. This group includes people with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, ALS, cerebral palsy, severe arthritis, and post-stroke paralysis — a significant population across Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Wheelchair trips come in two kinds. In a transfer-to-seat trip, the rider moves into the vehicle seat and the folded chair rides in the trunk; DachiPlus drives these trips in its own sedans and SUVs. In a stay-in-chair trip, the rider remains in the wheelchair, which is locked to the floor of an ambulette with four-point tie-downs; DachiPlus does not run ambulettes itself, so it arranges those trips through licensed ambulette partners. Our ambulette service page explains how that works, and the guide to ambulette service on Long Island covers who needs one and how Medicaid pays for it. Learn the differences in the ambulette vs. ambulance vs. wheelchair van breakdown. Riders in the Bay Shore area or elsewhere in Suffolk who can transfer to a seat can book wheelchair transportation directly through DachiPlus.

Cancer Patients and People in Ongoing Treatment

Chemotherapy, radiation, and infusion therapy are exhausting by design — the treatments that fight cancer also wipe out energy and compromise the immune system. Patients often can't drive themselves to Good Samaritan Hospital, Stony Brook University Hospital, or an outpatient oncology clinic in Hauppauge or Huntington, especially mid-course when side effects peak.

Chemotherapy and oncology transportation and radiation therapy transportation are core DachiPlus services. Rides are scheduled in advance around treatment calendars, and drivers understand that patients may need extra time boarding and disembarking. Infusion therapy transportation follows the same model for biologic or IV medication appointments. For a broader look at how cancer patients across Long Island arrange rides, see the cancer patient transportation guide.

Post-Surgery and Hospital Discharge Patients

Hospitals across Long Island — including Huntington Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital, and Stony Brook University Hospital — will not discharge a patient who drove themselves in after sedation, general anesthesia, or certain procedures without an approved ride. That policy is not optional; a patient who tries to leave alone may find the discharge delayed.

Hospital discharge transportation and post-surgery transport cover everything from the day-of discharge ride home to follow-up visits weeks later while the patient is still restricted from driving. Private-pay patients can call DachiPlus at (516) 754-7777 to confirm same-day or next-day availability. The hospital discharge transportation guide has a full checklist of what to arrange before leaving the facility.

Veterans, Workers' Comp, and No-Fault Auto Patients

NEMT riders also include people whose transportation costs are covered by a third-party payer other than Medicaid or Medicare. Veterans enrolled in VA Community Care — a program that authorizes care at non-VA facilities — may have transportation to approved appointments covered. DachiPlus provides veterans medical transport in Nassau and Suffolk Counties; riders should confirm authorization before the first trip.

Workers' compensation and no-fault auto insurance cases involve injured patients who are still treating — physical therapy in Babylon, pain management in Centereach, orthopedic follow-ups in Lake Grove — but who can't drive because of the injury itself or because the treating doctor has restricted it. Workers' comp coverage and no-fault auto coverage both reimburse NEMT when properly documented. If you're unsure whether your payer covers the ride, the NEMT insurance coverage guide walks through each payer type.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does NEMT only serve people in wheelchairs?

No. Wheelchair users are one group, but NEMT also serves ambulatory patients who can't drive safely — dialysis patients, post-surgery riders, chemotherapy patients, seniors with cognitive decline, and people with injuries covered by workers' comp or no-fault auto insurance.

Can a child use non-emergency medical transportation on Long Island?

Yes. Pediatric patients traveling to specialist appointments, therapy, or procedures can use NEMT. A parent or guardian typically rides along. Medicaid-enrolled children may be eligible through MAS; call 1-844-666-6270 at least 72 hours before the appointment.

Do veterans qualify for NEMT?

Veterans enrolled in VA Community Care may qualify for transportation to approved VA-network appointments. DachiPlus provides veterans medical transport in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Contact DachiPlus at (516) 754-7777 to confirm your eligibility paperwork before booking.

What if the patient can walk but is not safe to drive themselves?

Walking ability doesn't disqualify anyone from NEMT. Dialysis fatigue, sedation after a procedure, vision loss, dementia, or active treatment side effects can all make self-driving unsafe. A standard sedan or accessible van can be booked for ambulatory patients who simply need a safe, reliable driver.

How far in advance does a Medicaid patient need to book NEMT on Long Island?

New York Medicaid requires the trip be arranged through MAS at least 72 hours before the appointment. Call 1-844-666-6270 and ask for DachiPlus by name. Same-day and next-day trips are generally not approved unless it is a true medical urgency.

Sources

• Medical Answering Services (MAS) — NY Medicaid transportation broker
• NY State Dept. of Health — Medicaid Transportation for Members
• CMS — Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation