UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Transportation in Virginia

What changed on March 1, 2026

UnitedHealthcare moved its Virginia Medicaid transportation to SafeRide Health on March 1, 2026. The benefit itself didn’t shrink, but the company taking the calls changed, and so did the transportation network. Members who had a standing ride before March may have needed to set it up again.

If a member’s card or welcome letter predates the change, UnitedHealthcare’s provider notice lists SafeRide’s line as 1-888-462-6049, open 24 hours for urgent, same-day and next-day trips. When in doubt, call the member services number on the card and ask for transportation.

What the UnitedHealthcare ride benefit covers

• Rides to covered services: doctor and specialist visits, dialysis, cancer treatment, therapy, behavioral health, dental and pharmacy trips.
• The right vehicle: a car or van for members who walk, a wheelchair van for members who stay in their chair, and a stretcher van for members who can’t sit up for the trip.
• A companion: one adult can usually ride along; tell SafeRide when you book.
• Some extra rides: UnitedHealthcare offers a limited number of rides a year to places such as grocery stores, places of worship and gyms. Check the member handbook for the current limit.

How to book a UnitedHealthcare ride with H&M Transport

1. Call SafeRide Health through the transportation number for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan at least five business days before a routine appointment.
2. Give the member’s ID, the appointment details and what the member needs. That includes the level of service, oxygen, steps at the home, and anyone riding along.
3. Request H&M Transport specifically. The brokers we work with are MTM Health and SafeRide Health, and UnitedHealthcare’s rides go through SafeRide. SafeRide makes the final assignment, and your request is noted on the trip.
4. For recurring treatment, ask for a standing order. Dialysis, chemotherapy and therapy rides can repeat without a new call each time.

Where we take UnitedHealthcare members

Our drivers are staged across Northern Virginia, so the van that arrives has usually started nearby. Common trips include dialysis three times a week, infusion and chemotherapy visits, behavioral health appointments, and follow-ups after a hospital discharge.

A wheelchair rider stays in the chair: it goes up a ramp on our minivans or a hydraulic lift on our full-size vans and is secured at four points. Stretcher trips run bed to bed with two crew.

When the ride falls outside the benefit

A trip booked late, a stop that isn’t a covered service, or a member whose coverage lapsed can’t go through SafeRide as a Medicaid ride.

Private pay. When a ride is not covered, or the plan cannot schedule it in time, families can book H&M Transport directly at our published rates. Wheelchair trips start at $55 per leg on a round trip and stretcher trips at $230 per leg, the same in Virginia, Maryland and DC. No doctor’s order is needed for a private-pay ride. See our private-pay guide or the full rates page.

Members who also have Medicare may be in UnitedHealthcare’s dual special needs plan. Virginia aligns it with the member’s UnitedHealthcare Medicaid plan, and Medicaid is what pays for non-emergency rides. See our Medicare Advantage transportation guide.

Common questions

Who handles UnitedHealthcare Community Plan rides in Virginia?

SafeRide Health, since March 1, 2026. H&M Transport takes UnitedHealthcare rides in Northern Virginia through SafeRide.

How do I get H&M Transport for a UnitedHealthcare ride?

Call the transportation number on your Medicaid ID card; the brokers we work with are MTM Health and SafeRide Health. Request H&M Transport specifically when you book your ride.

How far ahead should I book?

At least five business days for a routine appointment. Urgent, same-day and next-day trips go through SafeRide’s 24-hour line.

Does UnitedHealthcare cover wheelchair and stretcher vans?

Yes, when the member needs that level of service and the trip is to a covered service.

My standing ride stopped in March. What happened?

UnitedHealthcare moved its transportation to SafeRide Health on March 1, 2026. Call the transportation number for your plan and ask SafeRide to set the standing order up again, and request H&M Transport by name.

What if SafeRide can’t schedule the ride in time?

Book H&M Transport directly as a private-pay trip. Wheelchair trips start at $55 per leg, and we need three hours notice for same-day requests.

What we don’t do

H&M Transport runs non-emergency medical transportation. There is no medical care or monitoring on board, we never take anyone to an emergency room, and we do not move patients between hospitals for a higher level of care. We do run scheduled, stable transfers between facilities, such as hospital to rehab or to a nursing home. If a rider becomes unwell during a trip, the driver stops safely and calls 911. In an emergency, call 911.