What makes a NEMT plan different?
Much NEMT revenue comes through Medicaid, where states assure transportation for members with no other way to reach covered care, often through brokers or health plans. That means a credentialing period before the first paid trip, strict trip documentation, and payment after the trip, all of which the plan must cover.[1][2]
The template
Replace everything in square brackets.
1. SUMMARY Business: [name], [state], [counties served] Services: [ambulatory / wheelchair / stretcher, if permitted] Payers: [Medicaid broker or plans], [facilities], [private pay] Funding needed: [amount] for [vehicles, equipment, insurance, enrolment, working capital] 2. PAYERS AND DEMAND Medicaid program in our state: [broker / managed care plans / fee-for-service] Brokers or plans we will apply to: [names] Facilities: [dialysis centers, therapy clinics, hospitals, senior living] Private pay: [price list] 3. CREDENTIALING TIMELINE Business formation: [date] NPI and Medicaid enrolment (if required): [dates] Broker/plan application and inspection: [dates] First paid trip expected: [date] 4. VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT [n] ambulatory vehicles, [n] wheelchair-accessible vans Lift/ramp, wheelchair securement, first aid kit, fire extinguisher (check broker list) 5. STAFF Drivers: [number], checks [background, driving record, drug test], training [CPR/first aid, passenger assistance] Dispatcher / scheduler: [ ] Billing: [in-house / service] 6. COMPLIANCE AND RECORDS Trip logs: pickup and drop-off times, mileage, signatures, level of service Vehicle inspections and maintenance records Insurance: [auto liability, general liability, workers' comp] at the limits brokers require 7. PRICING AND INCOME Broker/plan rates: [base + per mile, per contract] Expected trips per vehicle per day: [ ] Private-pay and facility rates: [ ] 8. COSTS (MONTHLY) Vehicle payments, insurance, fuel, maintenance, wages, software, billing, office. 9. CASH FLOW Trips in month 1 are paid in month [2-3]: show the gap and how it is funded. 10. RISKS [Broker contract delay] -> [facility and private-pay work first] [Claim rejections] -> [complete trip documentation, signature capture]
Frequently asked questions
How long before a NEMT business gets paid?
There is a credentialing period before the first broker or plan trip, then payment after the trip is billed, so plan working capital for the gap; the timeline section of the template makes it explicit.
Can a NEMT business start with private-pay trips?
Yes. Facilities and private-pay riders pay directly, and many new providers build that work while broker credentialing is pending.
Sources
Fees and rules change. Each source is the official page we read, with the date we read it; check it before you apply or pay.
- [1] Medicaid.gov: Assurance of Transportation (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [2] CMS: Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (provider booklet, driver and vehicle criteria) (read 2 Nov 2026)
- [3] U.S. Small Business Administration: Write your business plan (read 2 Nov 2026)