MyRide TN: How Tennessee's Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Works

Your mother's dialysis center is 22 miles away. She goes three times a week. She doesn't drive, and you can't take that much time off work. The taxi bill alone is approaching $600 a month.

If she's on TennCare, there's a benefit that covers exactly this. It's called MyRide TN, and most TennCare members who need non-emergency medical transportation are entitled to use it.

What Is MyRide TN?

MyRide TN is Tennessee's non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) program for TennCare members. It's a Medicaid-required benefit — federal law mandates that states provide transportation to medical appointments for Medicaid beneficiaries who have no other way to get there.

In Tennessee, the program is managed through TennCare's managed care organizations (MCOs): BlueCare Tennessee, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan, and Wellpoint Tennessee. Each MCO administers NEMT for their enrolled members, but the program operates under the MyRide TN brand statewide.

Transportation is provided through contracted transportation companies — typically sedans, wheelchair-accessible vans, and stretcher vehicles depending on the member's mobility needs.

Who Can Use MyRide TN?

MyRide TN is available to TennCare members who:

• Need transportation to a covered TennCare medical appointment
• Have no other means of transportation available (no car, no family member available, etc.)

The "no other means available" requirement is key. MyRide TN is a last-resort benefit, not a convenience. If a family member, neighbor, or community volunteer can provide transportation, TennCare expects that option to be used first.

However, if the transportation barrier is real — your parent lives alone, has no nearby family, can't afford taxis or rideshare, and can't use public transit due to disability — MyRide TN is what the program exists for.

What Types of Trips Are Covered?

MyRide TN covers transportation to:

• Physician and specialist appointments
• Dialysis (regular scheduled trips covered)
• Mental health and substance use treatment
• Pharmacy visits to pick up prescriptions
• Lab and diagnostic testing
• Dental, vision, and hearing appointments (if those services are TennCare-covered)
• Hospital outpatient services

Trips must be to TennCare-covered services. Transportation to non-medical appointments, social events, or non-covered services is not included.

How to Schedule a Ride

Advance notice is required. MyRide TN trips must be scheduled in advance — generally at least 2–3 business days ahead of a non-urgent appointment. Scheduling a dialysis run or a specialist visit the day before is often too late.

Steps to schedule:

1. Call your parent's TennCare MCO — the customer service number is on their TennCare ID card
2. Request a non-emergency medical transportation trip
3. Provide the appointment date, time, location, and return trip needs
4. Specify any mobility equipment needs (wheelchair, oxygen, etc.)

Some MCOs have online scheduling portals or apps in addition to phone scheduling. Ask the MCO representative whether that option is available.

For recurring trips (like dialysis three times a week), you can often set up a standing schedule so you don't have to call before every appointment. Ask the MCO specifically about standing transportation orders.

What Happens When a Ride Doesn't Show or Is Late

Transportation no-shows are a documented problem with NEMT programs nationwide, including in Tennessee. If the driver doesn't arrive or arrives too late to make the appointment:

1. Call the MCO's NEMT line immediately — they can attempt to dispatch another vehicle or document the failure
2. Note the date, time, scheduled pickup time, and what happened
3. File a formal complaint through the MCO's grievance process if the failure results in a missed appointment

Missed dialysis or a missed specialty appointment due to a transportation no-show is a serious issue. Document it carefully and escalate if it becomes a pattern.

Alternatives When MyRide TN Isn't Available or Isn't Working

Volunteer driver programs: Many Tennessee counties have volunteer medical driver programs through their Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD). These programs use volunteers to transport seniors to medical appointments at low or no cost. Call 1-866-836-6678 to find out what's available in your parent's county.

Medical mileage reimbursement: In some cases, a family member who drives a TennCare member to appointments may be eligible for a mileage reimbursement. Ask your parent's MCO about the reimbursement process for family member transportation.

Local transit authorities: Several Tennessee counties operate rural transit systems or senior transportation services that connect to medical facilities. These are separate from MyRide TN and may supplement it.

Uber Health / rideshare partnerships: Some Tennessee MCOs have piloted partnerships with rideshare services for NEMT. Ask your parent's MCO if this option is available — for some members it provides faster, more reliable transportation than traditional NEMT.

If Your Parent Isn't on TennCare

If your parent doesn't qualify for TennCare (or is Medicare-only), MyRide TN is not available to them. Transportation options for non-TennCare seniors include:

• Area Agency on Aging and Disability programs (volunteer drivers, senior transit)
• County senior services transportation (varies significantly by county)
• American Cancer Society Road to Recovery (for cancer patients)
• Dialysis clinic transportation assistance (many centers coordinate rides directly)
• Non-profit community transportation services

The Tennessee AAAD statewide line (1-866-836-6678) is the best starting point for finding county-level transportation resources.

Transportation is one of many practical barriers Tennessee families navigate when managing a parent's care at home. The Tennessee Home Care & Aging in Place Guide covers the full support network — TennCare programs, AAAD services, transportation, and how to coordinate everything when your parent wants to stay in their own home.

See more Tennessee guides →