If you live in Las Vegas and have access to Medicare or Medicaid, then you probably will need the services of non emergency transportation for your medical services.
Fortunately, there are several medical transportation options for our Personal Care Service patients in Las Vegas.
The kind of transportation offered to people differs greatly depending on the type of care that a person has. Thus, it is very important to make sure that you understand your options and have full knowledge of what amenities that your insurance will or will not cover.
Different Medical Transportation Options
In the context of non-emergency medical transportation, you may have several transportation options depending on your insurance coverage. For various reasons, a person might need medical transportation, whether they have a wheelchair, need to carry specialized medical equipment with them, or if they need to be continuously monitored throughout the transportation process.
Given the different needs of patients, there are several different options for transportation, which means you should get the correct one for health and safety concerns. In the state of Las Vegas, non-emergency transportation is available to Medicaid recipients when medically necessary.
Transportation services covered by insurance may include things such as bus tickets, curb-to-curb delivery, gas mileage reimbursement, commercial airline services, and more. Those eligible may also bring an attendant with them for travel or travel with if the recipient is a minor.
The major types of non-emergency transportation a person can get includes
– Wheelchair vans. These vans are designed to fit patients who use wheelchairs or other kinds of mobility devices. These are good for patients who use mobility assistance devices who need transportation and no other kind of medical care.
– Basic life support. These kinds of vehicles are equipped with equipment for any patient that needs more than transportation services including monitoring and oxygen supplantation.
– Advanced life support. These kinds of vehicles are designed with advanced life support capabilities for those who might require serious medical monitoring or continual care. Things such as self-assistance and ENG monitoring may be required, and. These types of vehicles also usually come staffed with an EMT or paramedic.
– Critical care. Critical care vehicles are equipped with immediate life-support equipment such as ventilators and paramedics trained in critical care.
– Bariatric. Bariatric vehicles are reserved for patients above a certain weight who might need extra assistance for transportation.
In general, there are two major types of NEMT services: government-run NEMT services and medicaid NEMT providers. Government-run NEMT services have specific conditions that must be abided by and have regulations to make their services as affordable as possible to you.
Medicaid-NEMT services offer services to Medicaid recipients and must provide all services regardless of income level or other kinds of social factors. In Nevada, NEMT is available for anyone not covered by FFS or an MCO. Providers also have rules about what information they can provide about patients.
In Nevada, all NEMT services must be authorized through the DHCFP in order to be eligible for Medicaid coverage and providers are required to offer the least expensive sufficient option.
What to Know Before Using a Transportation Service
NEMT services are so important because they help people just lie you get to their medical appointments every day. NEMT services are not just for the elderly either, although they certainly are popular among the elderly. NEMT can be used by anyone who has any kind of ailment and needs additional assistance to make it to appointments.
With that in mind, here are some things you should know before you use your non-emergency medical transportation.
Make a Doctor’s Appointment First
The first thing to do is to schedule a doctor’s appointment. You cannot use NEMT service unless you schedule a doctor’s appointment; they cannot be used to go to the grocery or anything like that. Viable medical appointments for NEMT services include checkups, dialysis appointments, preventative services, physical therapy, and more.
After making an appointment, you can schedule a ride with a NEMT service provider.
Check Insurance First
When scheduling a NEMT ride, you will need to provide your insurance information to see what is covered by the ride. Contact your insurance company beforehand to acquire and necessary documentation and what copayment that you need to make.
If your insurance does not cover NEMT service, then you will need to pay for them out of pocket. You can decide whether it’s worth scheduling a non-covered NEMT ride with your family. As we said earlier, all NEMT rides in Las Vegas are covered by Medicaid coverage and all companies cannot deny Medicaid recipients based on things like income.
Nevada Medicaid recipients can schedule a ride through MTM on the Nevada division of their website. Through MTM, you can schedule NEMT rides for your location, acquire necessary forms for mileage reimbursement and bus trip logs as well as find answers to several common questions about using Medicaid service transportation in Nevada.
What to Expect When Using a Medical Transportation Service
If you have never used a medical transportation service, then it can be a little bit intimidating. Medical transportation might seem intimidating going with a stranger that you have never met before.
So to help you out, we put together this list of important things of what to expect and tips before taking your medical transportation ride.
Get Prepared for Your Ride
Before taking your ride, make sure that you take some time to prepare for it. Make sure that you have all necessities packed and ready to go as it can be frustrating or time-consuming if you forget something at home. You may want to make a checklist of all the important items that you will need for your medical appointment. Things that might be useful to have on hand include:
– Reading glasses
– Cell phone
– Reading material
– Dietary supplements
– Etc.
Make Sure that the Driver Knows Your Medical Needs
When scheduling your NEMT ride, you need to make sure that the company is aware of all of your specific medical needs and requirements. Most of the time if you do, then any transportation should come with a relevant professional that can help you.
Some medical transportation companies may also provide extra amenities such as food and drink while en route to the location. Other transportation providers may also offer amenities such as blankets, pillows, sheets, and more.
Request Ahead for Special Accomodations
Also, if you or your family or loved one needs extra special accommodation during the ride, make sure that you notify the company about things such as special food or drink. Most of the time, companies will work with you to satisfy any requests or accommodations that you might need.
Relax
Getting non-emergency transportation can be nerve-wracking, especially if you have never done it before. Once the driver gets there, settle in and try to relax as you go to your destination. It’s always fine to talk to your driver if you want to but make sure you do not distract them while they are driving.
Making sure that you remain comfortable during your ride should be your driver’s priority.
Top Medical Transportation in Las Vegas
1. Guardian Elite Medical Services
Guardian Medical Services has been serving the Las Vegas area for several years and offers safe and convenient professional medical transportation. GMT offers medical services for a wide range of things including assisted living facilities, adult day services, behavioral health centers, dental appointments, and many more. GMT also has multiple locations around the city and a wide area of services so you can schedule a pickup no matter where you are.
2. Medical Transport Company
https://www.medicaltransportco.com/
Medical Transport Company has been serving the Las Vegas community for more than 20 years. They offer a wide range of services for wheelchair, stretcher, bariatric, and long distance transportation techniques. This company is open 24/7 and open from 9-5 every weekday.
3. MedLife Transportation
http://www.medlifetransportation.com/
MedLife Transportation offers a wide range of non-emergency transportation offerings for a wide range of conditions, including hospital appointments, hospital discharges, dialysis treatment, and more. Through Medlife, you can get door-to-door quality help and care from trained professionals.
Conclusions
NEMT is important if you lack other means of transportation but need regular medical care. In Las Vegas, those who have insurance can often qualify for NEMT transportation and have it covered without having to pay any extra. Getting NEMT can be a worrying process if you are unsure of your options. That is why it’s important to make sure you understand what options that you have.
By doing your research, you can make sure that your NEMT has all the things necessary for your care including equipment and treatment professionals. So make sure you are diligent and understand your insurance policy and what it covers and does not cover.