ModivCare NEMT in South Carolina for Medicaid Patients

Your parent just got discharged from a South Carolina hospital and has follow-up appointments scheduled — but they can't drive, can't get in and out of a standard car, or need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. If they're on Medicaid, non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) is a covered benefit, and ModivCare is the designated broker for the entire state.

This isn't a luxury service. Missing follow-up appointments after a hospital discharge is one of the strongest predictors of readmission, and transportation barriers are consistently cited as the primary reason elderly Medicaid patients skip post-discharge medical visits.

How ModivCare Works in South Carolina

ModivCare (formerly LogistiCare) coordinates all non-emergency medical transportation for South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid members. They don't operate their own vehicles — they contract with local transportation providers across the state and dispatch the appropriate vehicle based on the patient's mobility needs.

Available transport types include:

• Sedan/standard vehicle for ambulatory patients who can transfer independently
• Wheelchair-accessible van for patients who use a wheelchair and cannot transfer to a standard vehicle
• Stretcher transport for patients who must remain supine during transit
• Public transit passes in areas with reliable bus service, when the patient can use public transportation independently

All rides must be to or from a covered medical appointment — doctor visits, dialysis, physical therapy, pharmacy, laboratory work, and medical equipment fittings. Social outings, grocery trips, and non-medical destinations aren't covered.

Booking Rules

The booking process has specific timing requirements that families need to know before the first appointment:

• Standard requests: Call at least three business days before the appointment. The scheduling line is available Monday through Friday.
• Urgent hospital discharges: Hospital staff can arrange same-day or next-day transportation through the ModivCare Facility Assistance Line at 1-866-420-6231. This line operates 24/7 and is specifically designed for discharge situations where the patient has no other way home.
• Recurring appointments: If your parent has regular dialysis, therapy, or clinic visits, request a standing order that books all trips in advance rather than calling before each appointment.

When you call, have ready:

• Your parent's full name and Medicaid ID number
• The appointment date, time, and location
• The name and phone number of the medical provider
• Any mobility requirements (wheelchair, stretcher, attendant needed)
• The pickup address and whether anyone will be traveling with the patient as an authorized attendant

Common Problems and How to Handle Them

NEMT services are notoriously unreliable in rural areas of South Carolina. Vehicles arrive late, don't show up at all, or the wrong vehicle type is dispatched. Here's how to manage the most frequent issues:

No-show drivers: If the vehicle doesn't arrive within 15 minutes of the scheduled pickup time, call ModivCare immediately to request a replacement. Document the no-show — date, time, appointment that was missed — because repeated failures can be reported to SCDHHS.

Wrong vehicle type: If a sedan shows up for a patient who needs a wheelchair van, don't try to make it work. Call ModivCare and request the correct vehicle. Forcing a wheelchair-bound patient into a standard vehicle creates an injury risk and potential liability issue.

Discharge from the hospital with no ride arranged: If the hospital is discharging your parent and no transportation has been set up, ask the discharge planner to call the Facility Assistance Line directly. Hospital staff have a dedicated pathway that bypasses the standard three-day advance booking requirement.

Appeals for denied rides: If ModivCare denies a transportation request, you can file a grievance through SCDHHS. Common denial reasons include rides to non-covered appointments and requests without an active Medicaid ID — make sure your parent's Medicaid enrollment is current before calling.

For Non-Medicaid Patients

If your parent has Medicare but not Medicaid, ModivCare's NEMT service isn't available. Medicare does not cover non-emergency transportation as a standard benefit. Alternatives include:

• Area Agency on Aging volunteer driver programs — contact the local AAA through Get Care SC at getcaresc.com
• County-operated senior transit services where available
• Medical ride-sharing programs offered by some Medicare Advantage plans (check the plan's supplemental benefits)

The South Carolina Hospital-to-Home Transition Guide includes a transportation coordination section with a pre-discharge checklist for arranging NEMT, the specific ModivCare phone numbers for each region, and backup transportation options for patients in underserved rural areas.

See more South Carolina guides →