MedicaidPrior AuthMedium impact
Non-Emergency Ground Ambulance Services for HealthChoice Illinois (HCI) Managed Care Organization (MCO) Plan Customers - Informational Documents Available Regarding Changes Effective January 1, 2022
Illinois Medicaid - HFS·IL · Emergency Medicine·Provider Notice
Effective date
Jan 1, 2022
We identified it
Jun 20, 2026
Summary
Effective January 1, 2022, all HealthChoice Illinois (HCI) Managed Care Organization customers must obtain prior approval for non-emergency ground ambulance services through First Transit before transport. This applies to all MCO Plan customers except MMAI MCO Plan customers for services covered by Medicare.
Action Required
Immediately: All providers must obtain prior approval for non-emergency ground ambulance services for HCI MCO Plan customers through First Transit at 866-503-9040 (Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm) before providing transport. Update workflow to include prior authorization step. Claims without prior approval will likely be denied.