Georgia Medicaid NEMT (2026): Broker, Booking, and Appeals

A Medicaid card by itself is not always enough to get a person to a doctor's appointment. For an 82-year-old widow in Albany who no longer drives, a dialysis patient in Macon who needs to reach the Davita center three times a week, or a parent in Valdosta whose child has a specialty appointment at a children's hospital in Atlanta, the transportation problem can be as serious as the underlying health problem.

Federal Medicaid law solves that problem with a benefit called Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, or NEMT. Federal regulations require every state to ensure that Medicaid members have access to medically necessary covered services, including the transportation needed to reach them. Federal legislation has codified NEMT as a mandatory Medicaid benefit.

Georgia administers NEMT through a single statewide broker. Effective April 1, 2026, Verida (formerly Southeastrans) became the sole broker for all five Georgia NEMT regions: North, Atlanta, Central, East, and Southwest. Verida arranges every Medicaid ride in the state under contract with the Department of Community Health.1 This guide explains how the broker model works, how to book a ride, who is eligible, what modes of transportation are available, what to do when something goes wrong, and how NEMT interacts with Georgia Families managed care, the HCBS waivers, the PACE program, and Medicare.

Key Takeaways

• NEMT is a mandatory federal Medicaid benefit. Members pay $0 for NEMT.
• Georgia uses a single statewide broker. As of April 1, 2026, Verida is the sole NEMT broker for all five regions (North, Atlanta, Central, East, Southwest). Verify current contact information with DCH NEMT customer service.1
• NEMT is FFS-carved-out from Georgia Families CMOs. Members in any of the three current CMOs (Amerigroup Community Care, CareSource, or Peach State Health Plan) book NEMT through the statewide broker, NOT through the CMO.2
• Book at least 3 business days in advance. Standing orders are set up for repeat trips (dialysis, chemotherapy, weekly behavioral health). Urgent same-day trips are accommodated when possible.
• PACE participants do not use the NEMT broker; PACE provides its own transportation. CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP waiver members use NEMT for Medicaid-covered medical trips.

The federal NEMT mandate

Federal Medicaid law requires that state programs include methods of administration necessary for proper and efficient operation, and federal regulations specify that those methods must include assurance of transportation. NEMT is defined as a Medicaid covered service: transportation to and from a Medicaid-covered medical service for a beneficiary who has no other means of transportation. Federal legislation has since clarified that NEMT is a required component of state Medicaid programs. States may deliver it through broker arrangements, ride-share platforms, public transit passes, mileage reimbursement, or managed care, but they may not eliminate it.

Federal regulations set the rules for broker arrangements: the broker must be procured competitively, the state Medicaid agency must conduct oversight, and a complaint resolution process must be in place. The rules also let states either include NEMT in MCO capitation or carve it out to a separate FFS broker. Georgia chose the carve-out path.

How the Georgia broker model works

Georgia is divided into five NEMT regions, but as of April 1, 2026, all five are served by a single statewide broker: Verida. Paid a per-member-per-month or per-trip rate by the Department of Community Health (DCH), the broker arranges every Medicaid ride in the state, subcontracting with local providers who operate the vehicles, and handles reservations, dispatch, mode determination, quality assurance, complaints, and reporting to DCH. Before April 2026 the regions were split: Modivcare served Central, Southwest, and East while Verida served North and Atlanta. To confirm current reservation and contact information, contact DCH NEMT customer service or the Georgia DCH NEMT webpage.1 Georgia's five regions cover:

• North: North and Northwest Georgia
• Atlanta: Metro Atlanta
• Central: Central Georgia
• East: Northeast Georgia and the East Central/Coast corridor
• Southwest: Southwest Georgia

The FFS carve-out from Georgia Families CMOs

The single most important Georgia-specific feature of NEMT is the carve-out from Georgia Families managed care. The three current CMOs (Amerigroup Community Care, CareSource, and Peach State Health Plan) and the foster/adoption-focused Georgia Families 360° program do NOT include NEMT. NEMT is administered separately by the statewide broker under direct contract with DCH on a fee-for-service basis. WellCare is no longer a separate Georgia Families Medicaid CMO; a 2024 reprocurement that would have changed the slate remains in a bid-protest phase with no announced go-live date, and the current three-CMO contracts have been extended (reported through June 30, 2027).2

This creates a structural confusion that many Georgia members do not understand. A member who calls Amerigroup to schedule a ride to a cardiology appointment will be told that transportation is not a CMO benefit and will be referred (correctly) to the statewide broker. A member who calls the broker and identifies themselves by their Amerigroup ID may run into ID-matching issues; the broker uses the GA Medicaid ID, not the CMO ID.

For more on the CMO structure and what IS in Georgia Families capitation, see the Georgia managed care plans guide.

Exceptions to the carve-out:

• PACE participants: PACE provides its own transportation through PACE vans. PACE does not use the NEMT broker for PACE-coordinated trips.
• HCBS waiver members (CCSP, SOURCE, ICWP): medical transportation continues through the NEMT broker. Some non-medical transportation (e.g., to an adult day center) may be provided as a waiver service.3
• Medicare-only: Original Medicare does NOT cover NEMT. Some Medicare Advantage plans, particularly D-SNPs for dual-eligibles, offer transportation as a supplemental benefit, but original Medicare does not. Dual-eligibles can use Georgia Medicaid NEMT for Medicaid-covered services.

Who is eligible

Any active Georgia Medicaid member is eligible for NEMT if all four of the following are met:

1. Currently enrolled in Georgia Medicaid (any pathway: ABD, LTC, MAGI children and parents, pregnant women, Pathways to Coverage, Family Medicaid, MSP-Plus dual)
2. The trip is to or from a Medicaid-covered service
3. The member has no other reasonable means of transportation (no working vehicle, no available driver, no accessible public transit)
4. The trip is booked with appropriate advance notice (3 business days for non-urgent; urgent same-day where medically necessary)

The "no other reasonable means" standard is generally interpreted broadly. A member with a working vehicle who simply prefers to use NEMT is not eligible. A member whose vehicle is in the shop, or whose family member usually drives but cannot on a particular day, generally is eligible for that trip.

What kinds of trips are covered

NEMT covers trips to and from any service the member can receive under Georgia Medicaid. Covered destinations are extensive:

• Primary care and specialty care (cardiology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, psychiatry, and others)
• Behavioral health (outpatient mental health, substance use treatment, methadone clinic visits)
• Dental (limited for adults, full for pediatric under EPSDT), vision, and hearing
• Pharmacy pickup when medically necessary; durable medical equipment pickup
• Outpatient surgery and procedures; physical, occupational, and speech therapy
• Dialysis (typically three times weekly with a standing order); chemotherapy and radiation oncology; wound care
• Hospital outpatient departments; Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics
• Court-ordered evaluations if Medicaid-covered
• HCBS waiver service appointments and adult day health where the broker is the assigned transportation provider

NEMT does NOT cover:

• Trips to non-Medicaid providers
• Trips for non-medical purposes (grocery shopping, banking, social visits, court appearances except court-ordered medical evaluations)
• Trips outside Georgia in most cases (exceptions for out-of-state specialty care pre-authorized by Medicaid)
• Trips for members not currently active on Medicaid (eligibility lapses cancel NEMT until reinstated)

Modes of transportation

Brokers assign the least expensive mode that meets the member's medical need:

• Public transit pass. In areas with public transit (Atlanta MARTA, Augusta, Macon, Savannah), the broker may provide a bus pass for members who can navigate transit safely with their condition.
• Mileage reimbursement. A family member or friend drives the member; the driver submits mileage logs and provider-signed visit verification, reimbursed per mile at the broker's current contract rate. Popular for rural members with limited fleet availability.
• Ambulatory ride (sedan). For members who can walk to and from the vehicle without a mobility device.
• Wheelchair-accessible van. Lift or ramp van; the member stays in the wheelchair and the driver secures it during transport.
• Stretcher van. For members who must be transported supine but do not need emergency ambulance services; includes a stretcher and attendant.
• Non-emergency ambulance. For medically necessary supine transport with monitoring needs beyond a stretcher van. Least common.

The mode is set at booking from the provider's medical certification. If the member's condition changes, they should notify the broker so the mode is updated.

The 3-business-day rule

For non-urgent trips, members must call the broker at least 3 business days before the appointment. The broker uses that lead time to:

• Verify the member's active Medicaid eligibility
• Verify the destination is a Medicaid-covered service
• Assign a transportation provider
• Schedule the pickup time
• Send confirmation to the member

Trips booked with less than 3 business days notice may be denied as "late requests" unless the medical urgency justifies same-day approval. The broker has discretion.

Standing orders relax the 3-day rule for repeat trips. A dialysis patient who attends three times a week sets up a standing order with the broker at the start of treatment, and the rides are dispatched on the same schedule each week. The member does not call before each trip. If the schedule changes (vacation, missed week), the member notifies the broker to pause the standing order.

Urgent same-day trips are accommodated when medical urgency justifies and vehicle availability permits. Examples: hospital discharge, urgent care follow-up, life-sustaining medication pickup. The broker's urgent line handles same-day requests.

How to book a ride step by step

The booking sequence is:

1. Call the statewide broker's reservation line. As of April 1, 2026, Verida serves all five regions; confirm the current reservation number with DCH NEMT customer service or the Georgia DCH NEMT portal.

2. Have your information ready: Georgia Medicaid member ID (12-digit), full name, date of birth, pickup address with unit number, destination provider's name and full address, appointment date and time, type of appointment, and any mobility needs (wheelchair, stretcher, oxygen).

3. Write down the trip confirmation number. You will need it if there are any issues on the day of the trip.

4. Be ready for the pickup window. Brokers typically give a 1-hour window; if you are not ready when the driver arrives, the trip may be marked a no-show.

5. Confirm the return ride. Most rides are round-trip, but verify before you leave; if the return is not scheduled, ask the appointment front desk to call the broker after your visit.

6. Sign the trip log if the driver asks, confirming pickup for the broker's billing.

Broker contact information

As of April 1, 2026, Verida (formerly Southeastrans) is the sole statewide broker for all five Georgia NEMT regions; current reservation and member-services numbers are available at verida.com or through DCH NEMT customer service. Phone numbers change periodically, so verify with DCH before booking critical trips. Before April 2026, Modivcare served the Central, Southwest, and East regions; it no longer provides Georgia Medicaid NEMT.1

When something goes wrong

Your ride is late or does not show up

Call the broker's customer service line immediately. Document the time of your call, the operator's name, and the response you received. If the no-show or excessive lateness causes you to miss your appointment, file a complaint.

Do not pay for Uber, Lyft, or a taxi unless you have prior broker authorization. NEMT generally does not reimburse for self-arranged alternative transportation.

Your ride request is denied

Common reasons for denial:

• Member is not currently active on Medicaid (check active status at gateway.ga.gov)
• Destination is not a Medicaid-covered service
• The member has another reasonable means of transportation
• Booking made with less than 3 business days notice for a non-urgent trip
• Mode requested exceeds medical necessity (e.g., ambulance requested when an ambulatory ride is medically sufficient)

If a trip is denied, request the reason in writing. If the denial is based on a determination that affects ongoing eligibility for services (rather than a one-off booking issue), the member can request a fair hearing through the Office of State Administrative Hearings. Contact DCH for current appeal deadlines and procedures.

Driver issues

Report concerns about driver conduct, vehicle cleanliness, lateness patterns, unsafe driving, or any safety issue to the broker's complaint line and to DCH NEMT Quality Assurance. Brokers track driver complaints and remove drivers with repeated issues from the network. For unsafe driving, also call local law enforcement and report to DOT if appropriate.

Missed appointment due to broker failure

If a documented broker failure causes a missed medical appointment, file a complaint and document it carefully. Where a provider charges a missed-appointment fee, the broker may be responsible for absorbing it rather than the member.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Georgia Medicaid cover transportation to medical appointments?

Yes. Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) is a mandatory federal Medicaid benefit. In Georgia, NEMT is administered through a single statewide broker contract. The benefit is $0 cost to the member.

Who is the Georgia Medicaid transportation broker?

As of April 1, 2026, Verida is the sole statewide broker for all five Georgia NEMT regions (North, Atlanta, Central, East, and Southwest). Before April 2026, Modivcare served the Central, Southwest, and East regions; it no longer provides Georgia Medicaid NEMT. To confirm Verida's current contact information, call DCH NEMT customer service or check the gateway.ga.gov member portal.1

How do I book a ride for a doctor's appointment?

Call the statewide broker's reservation line at least 3 business days before the appointment. Contact DCH to confirm the broker's current member services number. Provide your Georgia Medicaid ID, pickup address, destination provider name and address, appointment date and time, and any mobility needs. You will receive a trip confirmation number.

Can a family member drive me and get reimbursed?

Yes, through the mileage reimbursement option. The driver completes the broker's mileage form, including driver name, vehicle, license, round-trip mileage, and provider visit confirmation signed by the provider's front desk. Reimbursement rate is set by the broker contract; contact your broker for the current rate and form.

What if my ride request is denied?

Ask the broker for the denial reason in writing. If the issue is administrative (wrong info, late booking), correct it and rebook. If the denial affects ongoing eligibility for services, request a fair hearing through the Office of State Administrative Hearings. Contact DCH for current appeal deadlines. You may bring an attorney or advocate. For life-sustaining services, request aid pending during the appeal.

Worked example 1: Mrs. Adams, dialysis 3x/week in Macon

Mrs. Adams is 71, on Medicare and Georgia Medicaid (categorical ABD), lives in Macon (Central region), and uses a wheelchair for dialysis three mornings a week. Her daughter calls the statewide broker the week before treatment starts. The broker verifies eligibility, confirms the Davita center is Medicaid-enrolled, and sets up a standing order with a wheelchair-accessible van: pickup at home, transport to dialysis, return ride after treatment.

The standing order then runs without weekly calls. When a ride is late, the daughter calls customer service; on a second late ride she files a formal complaint and the broker reviews the route. When Mrs. Adams travels out of state for a week, the daughter calls to pause the standing order and again to reactivate it. Total cost across the year: $0.1

Worked example 2: Mr. Lee, post-hospital cardiology in Atlanta

Mr. Lee is 68, dual-eligible (Medicare + Georgia Medicaid), lives in Atlanta, and has no car. Discharged after a heart attack, he has a cardiology follow-up at Grady Memorial in five days. He calls the statewide broker on discharge day, well within the 3-business-day window, gives his Medicaid ID, addresses, appointment time, and confirms he is ambulatory. The broker books an ambulatory sedan with a pickup window before the appointment, and the driver takes him there and home.

Cost to Mr. Lee: $0.1 He is enrolled in CareSource, but because NEMT is FFS-carved-out from the CMOs he used the broker, not CareSource, for the ride.

Worked example 3: Mrs. Diaz, no-show troubleshooting in Albany

Mrs. Diaz, in Albany (Southwest region), books a ride for a 10 AM behavioral health appointment four days ahead, with a 9:00 to 9:30 AM pickup window. When no ride arrives by 9:15, she calls customer service; the operator reports the ride running about 30 minutes late. It arrives at 9:45 and she reaches the appointment at 10:10, where the front desk accommodates the late arrival.

The next day she files a complaint with the trip confirmation number, scheduled window, and actual pickup time. This is how broker quality assurance works: complaints accumulate, drivers with repeated patterns are removed from routes, and brokers with persistent quality issues face DCH contract penalties.

NEMT for HCBS waiver members

CCSP, SOURCE, and ICWP waiver members continue to use the NEMT broker for Medicaid-covered medical appointments. The waiver itself may provide non-medical transportation as a service (e.g., to an adult day center, to socialization activities, to senior centers) through the waiver care coordinator's network.

For Medicaid-covered medical trips, the booking flow is identical to non-waiver members: call the statewide broker, provide the member's Georgia Medicaid ID, schedule the trip. The waiver care coordinator does not arrange medical trips through the broker; the member or family books directly.

For non-medical waiver trips, the care coordinator arranges through the waiver-funded transportation provider.

NEMT and PACE

PACE participants do not use the NEMT broker for any trips. The PACE organization is at full financial risk and integrates transportation into its capitated payment, so PACE vans handle day-center attendance, PACE-network medical appointments, and the trip home. If a participant has a non-PACE medical need, the interdisciplinary team must authorize the visit and arrange the transportation; neither PACE nor the broker will pay for an unauthorized non-PACE trip. For more, see the Georgia PACE program guide.

NEMT for dual-eligibles

Dual-eligibles (Medicare + Georgia Medicaid) can use NEMT for trips to Medicaid-covered services; transportation is paid through the NEMT benefit directly to the broker. Original Medicare does NOT cover NEMT (only the limited emergency ambulance transportation under Part B), so a Medicare-only member with no Medicaid has no NEMT benefit. Medicare Advantage plans, particularly Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), often offer transportation as a supplemental benefit; where a dual-eligible has both, the D-SNP benefit generally applies first and Georgia Medicaid NEMT fills the gaps.

Cost to the member

NEMT is $0 to the member in Georgia.1 There is no copay for transportation. The broker bills Georgia Medicaid directly. Members pay nothing out of pocket for covered trips.

For mileage reimbursement, the broker pays the reimbursement to the member (or to the driver if the member designates) after the trip is documented.

Common mistakes Georgia members make

A few patterns appear frequently in member calls and complaints:

• Calling the CMO for transportation. Amerigroup Community Care, CareSource, and Peach State Health Plan are not the right contacts. NEMT is carved out of Georgia Families. Call the statewide broker.
• Booking less than 3 business days in advance for a non-urgent trip. Likely to be denied unless urgent. Plan ahead for routine appointments.
• Booking trips to non-Medicaid providers. A specialist who does not accept Medicaid is not a covered destination. Verify the provider's Medicaid enrollment first.
• Not having information ready when booking (Medicaid ID, pickup address, destination address, appointment time), which extends the call or fails the booking.
• Forgetting to confirm the return ride. Most rides are round-trip, but verify with the operator; if the return is not in place, the appointment desk can call to schedule.
• Using Uber, Lyft, or a taxi without authorization and expecting reimbursement. Self-arranged alternatives are generally not covered.
• Not reporting a no-show or excessive lateness. Broker quality assurance depends on documented complaints.
• Assuming PACE members can use NEMT brokers. PACE is carved out and provides its own transportation.
• Booking during an eligibility lapse. Verify active status at gateway.ga.gov before booking.
• Not updating mode when condition changes. A member who now uses a wheelchair must request a mode update; the broker does not automatically know.
• Assuming NEMT covers out-of-state trips routinely. Only with prior authorization for approved out-of-state care.
• Missing the appeal deadline. After a denial that affects eligibility, file the appeal by the deadline DCH specifies.

Special situations

• Pediatric NEMT. Children enrolled in Georgia Medicaid (including PeachCare for Kids and Georgia Families 360°) are eligible for NEMT to all covered pediatric services, including specialty care at children's hospitals, dental under EPSDT, vision, and developmental services. A parent or guardian rides with the child.
• Behavioral health NEMT. Outpatient mental health and substance use treatment are covered. Methadone clinic visits, often daily early in treatment, use standing orders. Community Service Boards in Georgia are Medicaid providers.
• Pregnancy-related NEMT. Prenatal visits, ultrasounds, labor and delivery, and postpartum visits (under Georgia's postpartum coverage extension) are all covered.
• Dialysis NEMT. The highest-volume NEMT use case; brokers run standing-order systems built for three-times-weekly ESRD transport.

Get help with Georgia Medicaid NEMT

If you need a ride to a covered medical appointment, call the statewide broker. If you have a complaint, escalate to DCH. If a denial affects your eligibility, you have appeal rights through the Office of State Administrative Hearings.

Learn More

• Georgia Medicaid Third-Party Administrators
• Georgia Medicaid managed care plans
• Georgia Medicaid covered services
• Georgia CCSP waiver
• Georgia SOURCE waiver
• Georgia PACE program
• Georgia Medicaid for dual-eligibles

Find personalized help arranging Georgia Medicaid transportation at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.