Non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is a scheduled ride to or from medical care for someone who can’t safely drive, take a taxi or ride transit, but who doesn’t need an ambulance. Think of a wheelchair user going to dialysis three times a week, a patient heading home from the hospital on a stretcher, or an older adult who needs a steady arm from the front door to the doctor’s waiting room. The vehicles are built for mobility equipment, the drivers are trained to help with transfers, and the trip is booked ahead instead of dispatched with lights and sirens.
This guide explains what NEMT is, the levels of service, what is and isn’t included, who pays, and how to book a ride with H&M Transport in Northern Virginia, Washington DC and the Maryland suburbs.
What is non-emergency medical transportation?
The short definition: NEMT is transportation to medical care when the situation isn’t an emergency but a regular car isn’t a safe option. The “non-emergency” part matters. NEMT is for appointments, treatments and discharges that can be planned, even if only a few hours in advance. The “medical” part describes the destination and the passenger, not care during the ride: an NEMT crew helps people move safely, but doesn’t treat them.
Common NEMT trips include:
- Recurring treatment such as dialysis, chemotherapy, radiation or physical therapy
- Doctor and specialist appointments, imaging and lab work
- Rides home after outpatient procedures when the patient has had sedation
- Hospital discharges to home, rehab or a skilled nursing facility
- Scheduled transfers between facilities, such as a nursing home to a wound care clinic
- Hospice discharges so a patient can go home
People sometimes call it medical transport, wheelchair van service, stretcher van service or medical rides. The idea is the same: the right vehicle and a trained crew for someone whose health or mobility makes an ordinary ride difficult.
NEMT vs. an ambulance: where the line is
The clearest way to understand NEMT is to know what it isn’t. An ambulance carries emergency medical technicians or paramedics who can monitor, medicate and treat a patient on the way. NEMT does not. At H&M Transport:
- No medical care or monitoring happens on board.
- We never take anyone to an emergency room.
- We don’t do hospital-to-hospital transfers for a higher level of care.
- Stable, scheduled facility-to-facility transfers, such as hospital to rehab or hospital to nursing home, are fine.
If someone is having chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke or any other emergency, call 911. If the patient is stable and the need is getting from one place to another safely, NEMT is usually the right fit, and it costs far less than an ambulance.
There’s a middle ground worth knowing about. Medicare may pay for non-emergency ambulance transportation when a doctor documents that it’s medically necessary, according to Medicare.gov’s page on ambulance services. That’s a different service from a wheelchair or stretcher van. If the patient needs oxygen titration, cardiac monitoring or IV management during the ride, ask the care team whether an ambulance is required.
The levels of NEMT service
Choosing the level of service is the most important part of booking. It depends on how the rider moves today, not how they moved a year ago.
Ambulatory
For riders who can walk, even slowly or with a cane or walker, but need help. The driver provides door-through-door assistance: from inside the home, down the walk, into the vehicle, and all the way into the office or facility at the other end. Ambulatory riders travel in the same minivans and full-size vans as the rest of the fleet. Learn more about ambulatory transport.
Wheelchair
For riders who need to stay seated in a wheelchair. The rider never transfers to a vehicle seat: the chair goes up a ramp on our minivans or onto a hydraulic lift on our full-size vans, and it’s locked down with four-point securement. If the rider doesn’t own a wheelchair, we can bring one at no extra cost. See wheelchair transport for details.
Stretcher
For riders who can’t sit upright for the trip. Stretcher service is bed-to-bed: the crew moves the patient from their bed onto a power-assisted cot, rides with them lying down, and settles them into the bed at the destination. Every stretcher trip has at least two crew members. More on stretcher transport.
Bariatric
For riders over 300 pounds, in either wheelchair or stretcher configuration. We use specialized vehicles with wider ramps and roomier interiors, and we add a second crew member when the transfer or the route out of the home calls for it. We don’t publish an upper weight limit; tell us about the rider and we’ll plan the trip. Read about bariatric transport.
What’s included in an NEMT ride
People often assume a medical ride is just a van with a ramp. A good NEMT trip includes more than the vehicle:
- Hands-on help at both ends. The driver comes to the door, helps with coats and bags, and walks or wheels the rider inside at the destination rather than dropping them at the curb.
- Equipment securement. Wheelchairs are tied down with four-point securement and the rider wears a lap and shoulder belt. Walkers and folded chairs are stowed so nothing shifts in transit.
- Trained drivers. Crews are trained in safe transfers and wheelchair securement, and in the patience it takes to help someone who is tired, anxious or unsteady.
- A dispatcher behind the driver. Our dispatch in Gainesville answers 24/7, holidays included, so if an appointment runs long or a discharge slips, there’s someone to call.
- Room for a companion. A family member or caregiver can usually ride along; tell us when you book.
- Portable oxygen. Riders can bring their own portable oxygen, and we can supply tanks for an added fee.
What isn’t included: medical treatment, medication administration or monitoring. The crew’s job is to get the rider there safely and comfortably.
Accreditation and authority
Not every NEMT company is held to the same standard. H&M Transport was the first NEMT provider in Virginia to earn NEMTAC accreditation, an independent review of safety, training and operations. We also hold WMATC authority 3449, which covers trips across Virginia, DC and Maryland within the Washington Metropolitan District. When you compare providers, ask about both.
Who uses non-emergency medical transportation?
There’s no single profile. Our riders include:
- Older adults who have stopped driving and whose family works during the day
- People who use a wheelchair full-time
- Patients on dialysis, who need a reliable ride several times a week for months or years
- Patients recovering from surgery, a stroke or a fall, who can’t manage a car seat yet
- Patients going home from the hospital, a rehab facility or on hospice
- People who’ve had anesthesia or sedation and aren’t allowed to leave alone
You don’t need a disability designation or a doctor’s order to book a private-pay ride with us. You need a destination and an honest description of how the rider moves.
Who pays for NEMT?
Coverage depends on the rider’s insurance and where they live.
Medicaid
Federal rules require state Medicaid programs to assure necessary transportation to and from medical providers for their members (see Medicaid.gov’s assurance of transportation page). Most states run that benefit through transportation brokers, companies that take the ride request and assign it to a local provider like us.
- Virginia: 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.
- Washington DC: We serve members of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of the District of Columbia through SafeRide Health.
- Maryland: H&M Transport is not a Medicaid provider in Maryland. In Montgomery County, Medicaid rides go through the county Department of Transportation’s Medical Assistance Transportation Program.
In Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and DC, riders whose health plan’s ride benefit is administered by SafeRide Health can book through the plan and request H&M Transport by name.
Medicare
Original Medicare does not cover wheelchair or stretcher vans. Some Medicare Advantage plans include a transportation benefit, often a set number of rides per year. Call the member services number on the plan card and ask.
Private pay and facilities
Many riders pay privately, especially for discharges, one-off appointments and trips outside what a plan covers. Hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, dialysis centers and hospices often arrange rides for their patients and book on contracted rates.
How much does NEMT cost?
Our 2026 private-pay rates are the same in Virginia, Maryland and DC. A wheelchair or ambulatory round trip is $55 per leg with 5 miles included per leg, then $3.00 a mile, so a 10-mile round trip comes to $140. A one-way wheelchair trip is $90 plus $3.00 a mile ($120 for 10 miles). Stretcher trips start at $230 per leg for a round trip, and a 10-mile stretcher discharge is $300. The full list, including bariatric, long-distance and add-ons such as stair chair teams and after-hours pickups, is on our rates page.
How to book a non-emergency medical ride
Booking takes a few minutes if you have the details ready:
- Pick the level of service. Ambulatory, wheelchair, stretcher or bariatric. If you’re unsure, describe how the rider gets from bed to a chair and we’ll help you decide.
- Gather the trip details. Pickup and drop-off addresses, appointment time, how long the appointment usually lasts, and any steps at either end.
- Book. Call (703) 304-7889, use our online reservation form, or book through the H&M Transport app.
- Plan the return. For round trips, you can set a pickup time or use will-call: call when the rider is ready and a vehicle is dispatched, with 45 minutes as the standard window. If you or the clinic can call a little before you’re done, we’ll start a driver your way. The earlier the call, the shorter the wait.
Booking 24 hours ahead guarantees availability. We accept same-day requests with at least three hours’ notice. If plans change, cancel or change at least two hours before pickup to avoid a fee. For dialysis and other recurring treatment, we set up standing orders so the rides happen automatically.
Common questions
What does NEMT stand for?
NEMT stands for non-emergency medical transportation: scheduled rides to and from medical care for people who can’t safely drive or use a regular car, but who don’t need an ambulance.
Is NEMT the same as an ambulance?
No. NEMT crews help riders move safely but provide no medical care or monitoring on board. For any emergency, call 911.
Do I need a doctor’s order to book NEMT?
Not for a private-pay ride with H&M Transport. Medicaid and insurance plans set their own rules, so check with the number on the member card.
Does Medicare pay for wheelchair van rides?
Original Medicare does not cover wheelchair or stretcher vans. Some Medicare Advantage plans include a transportation benefit, so it’s worth calling your plan.
Can a family member ride with the patient?
A family member or caregiver can usually ride along. Tell us when you book so we can plan the seating.
Where does H&M Transport provide NEMT?
Throughout Northern Virginia, Washington DC, and Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland, with long-distance trips available beyond that.
Book a ride with H&M Transport
For about sixteen years, H&M Transport has been getting people to appointments, treatments and home from the hospital across the DC region. Book online or call (703) 304-7889 any time, day or night. Tell us whether the rider needs ambulatory, wheelchair, stretcher or bariatric service, and we’ll send the right vehicle and crew.
