Louisiana Medicaid transportation phone number, plus how NEMT works

Last updated 2026-07-23

What is the Louisiana Medicaid transportation phone number?

The number most people are searching for is the ride-booking line for Louisiana Medicaid's non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) benefit. As of this writing, Louisiana's Healthy Louisiana managed care program uses Modivcare as the statewide NEMT broker, and the member reservation line is 1-855-608-0207 ^[1]. That's the number a Medicaid member or their caregiver calls to schedule a ride to a covered medical appointment, usually at least 48 to 72 hours in advance depending on the trip type. If you're a driver or an owner-operator trying to enroll as a transportation provider rather than book a ride, you need a different contact, the provider enrollment or credentialing line, not the member line. Calling the member reservation number to ask about becoming a driver just gets you transferred or stuck in a member-service queue. Broker contracts get rebid every few years. Phone trees change too. Treat any number you find online, including this one, as a starting point. Confirm the current line directly on the Louisiana Department of Health's Healthy Louisiana transportation page before you rely on it for a business decision ^[2].

Who manages NEMT for Louisiana Medicaid right now?

Louisiana Medicaid runs NEMT through its managed care organizations and a statewide broker arrangement rather than paying individual drivers directly in most cases. Modivcare (formerly LogistiCare) has held the statewide broker contract for Healthy Louisiana NEMT services in recent years ^[1]. That means the state Medicaid agency sets the rules and pays the broker, and the broker recruits, credentials, schedules, and pays the transportation providers who actually drive the vans. This structure is common across the country. Most states use one or more regional or statewide brokers (Modivcare, MTM, Access2Care, and SafeRide are the big national names) instead of enrolling every wheelchair-van company as a direct Medicaid biller. Louisiana's Medicaid managed care plans, sometimes called Healthy Louisiana health plans, also intersect with this system, so which broker and which contact number applies can depend on which MCO a member is enrolled in. Don't assume the broker named here will still hold the Louisiana contract next year. State Medicaid transportation broker contracts commonly run three to five years with renewal options, and rebids do happen. Confirm with your state Medicaid agency and any broker you're applying to before you build a business plan around a specific vendor relationship.

What is NEMT (non-emergency medical transportation)?

Non-emergency medical transportation, or NEMT, is transportation to and from covered medical services for people who don't need an ambulance but also can't get to their appointment any other way. Federal Medicaid rules require states to "ensure necessary transportation for beneficiaries to and from providers" and to describe in their state plan how they meet that requirement, per 42 CFR 431.53 ^[3]. NEMT covers things like dialysis three times a week, chemotherapy, physical therapy, prenatal visits, and routine primary care for people who are wheelchair users, have no working vehicle, live in a rural area with no transit, or otherwise have no other way to get to a Medicaid-covered service. It is not an ambulance. It is not for emergencies. It's typically delivered by ambulatory sedans, wheelchair-accessible vans, and sometimes stretcher vans, depending on the member's mobility level. The federal requirement is old and firm. CMS guidance describes NEMT as "a critical benefit for beneficiaries who need to get to and from medical services but have no means of transportation" ^[4]. States have real flexibility in how they deliver it (fee-for-service, brokered, or built into managed care capitation), but the underlying obligation to provide it doesn't go away. That's why practically every state, including Louisiana, has some brokered NEMT system in place. For a broader look at how NEMT programs are structured across states, see this overview of non emergency medical transportation.

Does Medicaid cover ambulance rides?

Yes, but ambulance transportation is a separate benefit from NEMT and it's governed by different rules. Medicaid covers ambulance services when transportation by any other means would endanger the beneficiary's health, per federal Medicaid regulations at 42 CFR 440.170 covering "transportation" as a Medicaid service category ^[5]. That typically means an actual emergency, or a non-emergency situation where the patient's medical condition requires the equipment or medical attention only an ambulance can provide (bed-confined patients needing monitoring in transit, for example). Ambulance transport is billed and reimbursed differently than NEMT. Ambulance providers (usually licensed EMS agencies) enroll directly with the state Medicaid program as ambulance providers, not through the same broker credentialing process a wheelchair-van company goes through. If you're planning to run wheelchair vans, you are not competing with or replacing ambulance service, and you generally can't bill Medicaid for ambulance-level trips unless you're separately licensed and enrolled as an ambulance provider. The short version people usually want: Medicaid does cover ambulance rides when medically necessary, but that's a different program lane than the NEMT wheelchair-van business most new owner-operators are trying to get into.

Does Medicare cover medical transportation?

Medicare's coverage of non-emergency transportation is much narrower than Medicaid's. Original Medicare Part B covers ambulance services when other transportation would endanger your health, similar to the Medicaid ambulance standard, but it does not have a general NEMT benefit the way Medicaid does ^[6]. There's no standing Medicare program that pays for a wheelchair van to take someone to a routine outpatient appointment just because they lack a ride. Where Medicare beneficiaries sometimes do get non-emergency transportation help is through Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans. Many Medicare Advantage plans now offer transportation as a supplemental benefit, but this varies enormously by plan and by year, and it is not guaranteed or standardized the way Medicaid NEMT is under federal regulation. If you're building a business around Medicare-funded rides, you need to confirm coverage plan-by-plan, not assume a blanket benefit exists. This is one reason most wheelchair-van owner-operators anchor their business on Medicaid NEMT broker contracts rather than Medicare. Medicaid's transportation guarantee is a federal regulatory requirement on the state ^[3]. Medicare non-emergency rides are optional plan-level extras that can disappear at renewal.

How do you start a non-emergency medical transportation business?

Starting an NEMT business generally means five things have to happen in some order: you form a legal business entity, you get the right vehicle and insurance, you get any state or local transportation licensing your state requires, you enroll as a Medicaid transportation provider (or get credentialed with the broker who handles it), and you pass whatever background check and vehicle inspection the broker requires. Most states don't let you bill Medicaid directly for NEMT trips. Instead you apply to become an approved network provider with the broker running that region's contract (Modivcare, MTM, Access2Care, SafeRide, or a state-specific vendor). That application usually asks for your business license, vehicle registration and inspection records, commercial auto insurance meeting a minimum liability threshold, driver background checks (often including exclusion list screening against the HHS Office of Inspector General's List of Excluded Individuals/Entities), and sometimes a physical facility inspection. A realistic first-year sequence looks roughly like this: 1. Register your business entity and get an EIN. 2. Buy or lease a wheelchair-accessible van that meets ADA and broker equipment standards. 3. Get commercial auto and general liability insurance sized to your state's minimum. 4. Apply for any state-required operating authority (some states require a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity or a similar transportation permit). 5. Apply for state Medicaid provider enrollment and broker network credentialing. 6. Complete driver background checks, drug screening, and any required training (defensive driving, passenger assistance, wheelchair securement). 7. Pass a vehicle inspection. 8. Start receiving trip assignments once approved. Timelines vary a lot by state and by how complete your paperwork is on the first submission. Confirm current requirements and processing time with your state Medicaid agency and the broker you're applying to, since these details change and no two states run identical processes. For a fuller walkthrough of the enrollment side specifically, see medical transportation and the NEMT overview.

How do you start an NEMT business with just one van?

You can absolutely start with one wheelchair van; plenty of owner-operators do. The core requirements don't shrink much just because your fleet is one vehicle, but the paperwork burden per vehicle is the same whether you own one van or ten. With a single van, focus your effort on three things. First, make sure that one vehicle is fully compliant: ADA-style wheelchair lift or ramp, working securement straps rated for the weight, current registration, and passing whatever safety inspection your state or broker requires. Second, get your own driver credentials in order if you're driving it yourself: valid license class, clean background check, any required defensive driving or passenger assistance certification, and drug screening if your state or broker requires it. Third, don't assume one van means one broker relationship is enough business; check whether your state Medicaid program contracts with multiple brokers or MCOs in your region, because credentialing with just one company can leave a lot of trip volume on the table. One real constraint to plan for: a single-van operation has no backup vehicle. If your van is in the shop, you have no rides to offer that day, which matters if your broker contract has an on-time performance or acceptance-rate requirement written into it. Ask about those performance standards during credentialing, in writing, before you sign anything, so you know what happens the first time your van breaks down.

How do you start a medical transportation business (broader answer)?

"Medical transportation business" can mean a few different things: NEMT wheelchair vans, ambulette or stretcher-van service, non-emergency ambulance, or even medical courier work. Each has a different licensing path, so the first real decision is which lane you're in. If you're doing ambulance-level transport (emergency or non-emergency ambulance with EMTs or paramedics on board), you need state EMS agency licensure, vehicle certification to ambulance standards, and clinical staff credentialing, none of which is required for standard wheelchair-van NEMT. That's a heavier lift with different regulators. If you're doing NEMT (no clinical care on board, just accessible transport for people who can't drive themselves), your regulatory path runs through your state's Medicaid agency and its transportation broker, plus whatever general for-hire vehicle or livery licensing your state or city imposes on passenger transport businesses. Some states also require a separate transportation network permit or Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, layered on top of Medicaid credentialing. That combination, general transportation licensing plus Medicaid-specific broker credentialing, is the part new owner-operators most often underestimate on their first application. Whichever lane you're in, start by calling your state Medicaid agency's transportation unit directly and asking what's required in your specific county, since intrastate rules can vary by parish or region even within one state.

How does NEMT provider credentialing actually work in Louisiana?

In a brokered state like Louisiana, credentialing means applying to the broker's provider network, not filing paperwork with the state Medicaid agency directly for a standard NEMT enrollment number. The broker (currently Modivcare for Healthy Louisiana) runs its own vetting process on top of, or aligned with, the state's requirements ^[1][2]. Expect the application to ask for: your business formation documents, proof of commercial auto insurance with Louisiana's required minimum liability coverage, vehicle registration and safety inspection records for each van, driver's license and background check results for every driver, and confirmation that none of your drivers or owners appear on the federal or state Medicaid exclusion lists. Wheelchair-accessible vehicles typically need documentation of a working lift or ramp and securement equipment meeting ADA-adjacent safety standards. After the paperwork review, many brokers do a vehicle inspection (sometimes in person, sometimes photo-based) and a driver orientation covering things like passenger assistance, HIPAA basics, and incident reporting procedures. Approval timelines are broker-dependent and not something this article can promise. Some owner-operators report a few weeks. Others report longer. It depends heavily on how complete the initial submission is. Confirm current documentation requirements and expected timelines directly with Modivcare's Louisiana provider relations team and with the Louisiana Department of Health before you commit money to a vehicle purchase ^[1][2]. If you want a structured way to organize the state-plus-broker paperwork before you start calling, the Launch Kit builder walks through the document checklist step by step; it's a $199 one-time reference kit, not a guarantee of approval from any broker or state.

What vehicle and insurance requirements should Louisiana owner-operators expect?

Exact figures change, so treat the following as a framework to confirm, not a locked-in checklist. Broker credentialing packets typically specify a minimum commercial auto liability limit (commonly in the range other states use, roughly $500,000 to $1,000,000 combined single limit for wheelchair-van NEMT, though Louisiana's actual required minimum should be confirmed with Modivcare and the Louisiana Department of Health directly), vehicle age limits (many brokers won't credential vans over a certain age, often 5 to 7 years, though this varies by broker), and mandatory equipment like a working wheelchair lift or ramp, secured wheelchair tie-downs, and a first aid kit. Don't buy a van before you have these numbers in writing from the broker. A used van that looks like a bargain can fail credentialing outright if it's past the broker's age cutoff or if the lift doesn't meet the load rating they require. Get the specification sheet first, shop second. For general background on the vehicle side of this business, see vehicles and equipment type resources and compare that against Louisiana's specific broker packet before you sign a purchase agreement.

How is NEMT different from emergency medical transport?

NEMT and emergency medical transport are regulated as two different things, and mixing them up on an application is one of the fastest ways to get an application rejected or delayed. Emergency medical transport involves ambulances, licensed EMS personnel, and a state EMS agency license; it's used when someone's condition is unstable or urgent. NEMT is scheduled, non-urgent transport for people who are medically stable but can't get to a covered appointment on their own ^[3][4]. A wheelchair-van owner-operator applying for Medicaid broker credentialing is applying for the NEMT lane, not the emergency medical transport lane. You don't need EMT certification, you don't need an ambulance-spec vehicle, and you're not held to EMS agency licensing standards. But you also can't legally transport someone whose condition requires ambulance-level monitoring; if a dispatcher or member asks for that kind of trip, the correct answer is to decline and direct them to call 911 or arrange ambulance transport, not to take the ride anyway.

What should I actually do this week if I'm serious about this?

Call the Louisiana Medicaid transportation unit and the Healthy Louisiana program office directly, and ask two specific questions: who currently holds the NEMT broker contract in your parish, and what is the current provider credentialing application process. Get this in writing or get a name and reference number for the call, because verbal answers change between calls. Second, call the broker's provider relations line (Modivcare's, if that's still the active contract when you're reading this) and ask for their current wheelchair-van credentialing packet: insurance minimums, vehicle age limits, required equipment specs, and background check requirements. Don't shop for a van until you have this document in hand. Third, check whether your parish's Medicaid managed care organizations run any transportation arrangements separate from the statewide broker. Some MCOs layer additional requirements or additional broker relationships on top of the state contract, and missing that step means leaving trip volume on the table later. Budget real time for this, more than money. Between entity formation, insurance binding, vehicle inspection scheduling, and broker application review, a realistic runway from "decided to do this" to "first credentialed trip" is commonly measured in months, not weeks, and no broker or state agency will promise a faster timeline in writing.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Louisiana Medicaid transportation phone number for booking a ride?

Louisiana's Healthy Louisiana NEMT broker is currently Modivcare, and the member reservation line is 1-855-608-0207 ^[1]. Numbers and broker contracts can change between state fiscal years, so confirm the current number on the Louisiana Department of Health's Healthy Louisiana transportation page before relying on it ^[2].

Does Louisiana Medicaid cover ambulance rides?

Yes. Medicaid covers ambulance transportation nationally when other transport would endanger the patient's health, under 42 CFR 440.170 ^[5]. This is a separate benefit from NEMT wheelchair-van service, billed through direct ambulance provider enrollment rather than broker credentialing.

What is NEMT?

NEMT stands for non-emergency medical transportation: scheduled rides to Medicaid-covered appointments for people who are medically stable but have no other way to get there. Federal rule 42 CFR 431.53 requires state Medicaid programs to ensure this transportation exists ^[3].

Does Medicare cover medical transportation to appointments?

Original Medicare Part B covers ambulance transport when medically necessary, but it does not have a standing non-emergency ride benefit like Medicaid does ^[6]. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer transportation as a supplemental benefit, but that varies by plan and year and is never guaranteed.

How do I start a non-emergency medical transportation business?

Form your business entity, get a compliant wheelchair-accessible van, secure commercial auto insurance meeting your state's minimum, obtain any required state transportation licensing, and apply for Medicaid provider enrollment or broker network credentialing (Modivcare, MTM, Access2Care, or SafeRide depending on your state). Confirm exact requirements with your state Medicaid agency before spending money on a vehicle.

Can I start an NEMT business with only one van?

Yes, many owner-operators start with a single wheelchair van. Make sure that vehicle fully meets broker equipment and inspection standards, and ask about on-time performance requirements in the broker contract, since a single-van operation has no backup if that vehicle needs repairs.

How do you start a medical transportation business generally?

Decide first which lane you're in: ambulance-level EMS transport (needs EMS agency licensure) versus NEMT wheelchair-van transport (needs Medicaid broker credentialing plus general transportation licensing). The regulatory paths are different, and conflating them is a common reason first applications get delayed.

Who is the Medicaid NEMT broker for Louisiana right now?

Modivcare currently holds Louisiana's statewide Healthy Louisiana NEMT broker contract, based on published member reservation contact information ^[1]. Broker contracts get rebid periodically, so confirm the current vendor with the Louisiana Department of Health before applying for credentialing ^[2].

What's the difference between NEMT and emergency medical transport?

Emergency medical transport uses ambulances and licensed EMS staff for unstable or urgent conditions, requiring state EMS licensure. NEMT is scheduled transport for medically stable people who lack another way to reach a covered appointment, credentialed through a Medicaid transportation broker instead of an EMS agency.

What insurance do I need to become a Louisiana NEMT provider?

Brokers typically require commercial auto liability insurance at a minimum threshold set in the credentialing packet, often in a similar range to other states' wheelchair-van NEMT requirements. Get Louisiana's exact current minimum in writing from Modivcare's provider relations team and the Louisiana Department of Health before buying a policy.

Does Medicaid pay for wheelchair van rides directly to the driver?

Usually not directly. Most states, including Louisiana, pay a broker (like Modivcare) who then contracts with and pays credentialed wheelchair-van providers for completed trips, rather than the state Medicaid agency paying individual drivers on a fee-for-service basis.

How long does NEMT broker credentialing take in Louisiana?

There's no fixed published timeline, and it depends heavily on how complete your first submission is. Confirm current expected processing time directly with Modivcare's Louisiana provider relations line and the Healthy Louisiana program office rather than relying on anecdotal estimates.

Do I need a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity to run NEMT in Louisiana?

Some states require a separate state or parish-level transportation operating permit on top of Medicaid broker credentialing. Confirm with the Louisiana Department of Health and your parish transportation authority whether such a certificate applies to wheelchair-van NEMT operators in your area.

Sources

1. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 42 CFR 431.53: States must ensure necessary transportation for Medicaid beneficiaries to and from providers
2. Medicaid.gov, Non-Emergency Medical Transportation: CMS describes NEMT as a critical benefit for beneficiaries with no other means of transportation to medical services
3. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, 42 CFR 440.170: Medicaid covers ambulance and other transportation services when other means would endanger the beneficiary's health
4. Medicare.gov, ambulance services coverage: Medicare Part B covers ambulance services when other transportation would endanger health, without a general non-emergency transportation benefit
5. 42 U.S.C. 1396a, State plans for medical assistance: Federal Medicaid statute sets the state plan requirements that underlie the transportation assurance obligation implemented at 42 CFR 431.53
6. HHS Office of Inspector General, List of Excluded Individuals/Entities (LEIE): Providers and drivers must be screened against the federal exclusion list before Medicaid program participation or NEMT broker credentialing