MedicaidAdministrativeMedium impact
Preventive Care Connections - Transportation
L.A. Care Health Plan·CA·Provider Communication
We identified it
Sep 10, 2026
Summary
L.A. Care Health Plan is launching a new transportation benefits program for Medi-Cal members to reduce barriers to preventive and medically necessary care. The billing team must understand the distinction between Non-Medical Transportation (NMT—no prior auth required) and Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT—requires Physician Certification Statement form submission within 24 hours). This is a provider communication and care coordination initiative, not a billing code or reimbursement change.
Action Required
Immediately: Educate front desk, scheduling, and care coordination staff on L.A. Care transportation benefits eligibility and referral process. Provide staff with provider phone line (877) 431-2273 for scheduling NMT/NEMT. For NEMT requests only: Establish workflow to ensure Physician Certification Statement (PCS) form (https://www.lacare.org/sites/default/files/la6957_pcs_form_202508.pdf) is completed by providers and submitted to L.A. Care Utilization Management Department within 24 hours of the NEMT trip. Add transportation assessment question to patient intake/scheduling workflow: 'Do you have reliable transportation to your appointment?' Direct patients without transportation to L.A. Care Member Services (888) 839-9909, TTY 711. Requests should be made at least 2 business days before appointments. No billing system changes required, but this supports claim continuity by reducing missed appointments.