Non-Emergency Medical Transportation in Oregon

Your parent is being discharged from the hospital and can't sit upright in a car. Or they need regular rides to dialysis three times a week. Or the rehab facility is 40 miles away and nobody in the family can drive there and back for every follow-up appointment.

Oregon has multiple transportation programs for seniors who can't use standard vehicles, but the coverage depends entirely on your parent's insurance and what type of ride they need.

OHP Members: NEMT Is a Covered Benefit

If your parent is on the Oregon Health Plan, non-emergency medical transportation is a mandatory Medicaid benefit. Your parent's Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) arranges and pays for rides to and from medical appointments, including:

• Wheelchair-accessible vans
• Gurney and stretcher transport
• Ambulance transport (non-emergency)
• Mileage reimbursement for family members who drive
• Public transit passes

How to schedule: Call your parent's CCO transportation line at least 48 hours before the appointment. The CCO contracts with local transportation brokers who dispatch the appropriate vehicle. For hospital discharges, the hospital discharge planner should coordinate transport through the CCO, but you may need to follow up directly.

Common CCO transportation contacts:

• Health Share of Oregon: Uses Ride to Care (503-416-3955)
• CareOregon: Uses its member services line
• PacificSource: Uses TransLink (call member services for your regional number)

If your parent is being discharged and is non-ambulatory — unable to safely sit in a standard vehicle — the hospital must coordinate appropriate transport before discharge. Don't let the discharge planner tell you to "figure out a ride." If your parent needs a gurney van or wheelchair transport, the hospital or CCO must arrange it.

Medicare: Limited Transportation Coverage

Medicare does not cover routine non-emergency medical transportation. It covers ambulance transport only when other forms of transportation would endanger the patient's health. This means Medicare won't pay for wheelchair van rides to follow-up appointments.

However, if your parent has Medicare Advantage (Part C), many plans include transportation benefits — typically a set number of rides per year to medical appointments. Check the plan's Summary of Benefits or call the plan directly.

For dually eligible members (both Medicare and OHP), the OHP/Medicaid NEMT benefit covers the gap.

Veteran and County Programs

Ride Connection (Portland metro): 503-226-0700. A nonprofit that coordinates rides for seniors and people with disabilities across the tri-county area. Not limited to medical trips — also covers grocery shopping, social visits, and other essential errands.

TriMet LIFT (Portland metro): ADA paratransit service for people who can't use regular buses or MAX. Requires advance registration and certification. Trips must be within the TriMet service area.

County senior transportation programs: Many Oregon counties operate their own senior ride programs through the local Area Agency on Aging. These vary widely — some offer door-to-door service, others provide volunteer driver networks. Contact your local AAA or ADRC at 855-673-2372 for what's available in your county.

After Hospital Discharge: The Transport Checklist

When your parent is being discharged, verify these transportation details before they leave:

1. Type of vehicle needed — can they transfer to a car seat, or do they need a wheelchair van or gurney?
2. Who's ordering it — the hospital discharge planner should coordinate through the CCO for OHP members
3. Equipment that travels with them — oxygen, IV pump, wheelchair. The transport company needs advance notice
4. Follow-up appointment rides — schedule ongoing NEMT for the first post-discharge doctor visit (typically within 7 days) before leaving the hospital

The Oregon Hospital Discharge Guide includes a complete discharge preparation checklist covering transportation, DME delivery, medication coordination, and home safety setup — everything that needs to happen before your parent walks (or is wheeled) through the front door.

See more Oregon guides →