Iowa Health and Human Services
Medical Transportation / Non-Emergency Medical Transportation · About this organization
What you get
Free rides or approved mileage reimbursement for covered medical care, with meal or lodging reimbursement for some longer trips.
How to start
Call the broker for your Medicaid plan at least two working days ahead. Give your member, pickup, and appointment details; ask in advance about meals or lodging.
Good to know
- For trips beyond 50 miles, request meal or lodging help before the appointment.
The details, as published
Iowa Medicaid arranges no-cost routine medical rides or reimburses eligible travel for full-benefit Medicaid members who need transportation to covered care. Services may include a bus pass, car, taxi, van, wheelchair vehicle, mileage for a friend or family driver, and—when a trip exceeds 50 miles and is approved in advance—meal or lodging reimbursement. A parent schedules through the child’s Medicaid broker generally at least two working days before the appointment and must ask about overnight support before travel.
What help you may get
Lodging Near Treatment
Medical Transportation / Non-Emergency Medical Transportation — lodging near treatment
Iowa Medicaid arranges no-cost routine medical rides or reimburses eligible travel for full-benefit Medicaid members who need transportation to covered care. Services may include a bus pass, car, taxi, van, wheelchair vehicle, mileage for a friend or family driver, and—when a trip exceeds 50 miles and is approved in advance—meal or lodging reimbursement. A parent schedules through the child’s Medicaid broker generally at least two working days before the appointment and must ask about overnight support before travel.
Amount decided by the program · Per Trip
Can cover
- Bus pass
- Car, taxi, van, or wheelchair vehicle
- Mileage reimbursement for an approved friend or family driver
- Potential meal and lodging reimbursement for approved trips over 50 miles
- Rates and limits depend on the transportation broker and authorized trip; the main official page does not publish current dollar limits.
- Each appointment trip is separately scheduled or authorized.
Meals And Food
Medical Transportation / Non-Emergency Medical Transportation — meals and food
Iowa Medicaid arranges no-cost routine medical rides or reimburses eligible travel for full-benefit Medicaid members who need transportation to covered care. Services may include a bus pass, car, taxi, van, wheelchair vehicle, mileage for a friend or family driver, and—when a trip exceeds 50 miles and is approved in advance—meal or lodging reimbursement. A parent schedules through the child’s Medicaid broker generally at least two working days before the appointment and must ask about overnight support before travel.
Amount decided by the program · Per Trip
Can cover
- Bus pass
- Car, taxi, van, or wheelchair vehicle
- Mileage reimbursement for an approved friend or family driver
- Potential meal and lodging reimbursement for approved trips over 50 miles
- Rates and limits depend on the transportation broker and authorized trip; the main official page does not publish current dollar limits.
- Each appointment trip is separately scheduled or authorized.
Travel And Transportation
Medical Transportation / Non-Emergency Medical Transportation — travel and transportation
Iowa Medicaid arranges no-cost routine medical rides or reimburses eligible travel for full-benefit Medicaid members who need transportation to covered care. Services may include a bus pass, car, taxi, van, wheelchair vehicle, mileage for a friend or family driver, and—when a trip exceeds 50 miles and is approved in advance—meal or lodging reimbursement. A parent schedules through the child’s Medicaid broker generally at least two working days before the appointment and must ask about overnight support before travel.
Amount decided by the program · Per Trip
Can cover
- Bus pass
- Car, taxi, van, or wheelchair vehicle
- Mileage reimbursement for an approved friend or family driver
- Potential meal and lodging reimbursement for approved trips over 50 miles
- Rates and limits depend on the transportation broker and authorized trip; the main official page does not publish current dollar limits.
- Each appointment trip is separately scheduled or authorized.
- The published monetary limit is shared across the listed benefit components.
Check the main eligibility rules
Diagnosis
B-ALL is in scope. A child with B-ALL may use the benefit when enrolled in full-benefit Iowa Medicaid and traveling to covered treatment.
Age
The program does not publish an age limit.
- The Medicaid transportation page does not publish a pediatric age ceiling.
Treatment status
No specific treatment status is published.
- A provider must verify the patient or diagnosis.
- Full-benefit Iowa Medicaid enrollment is required.
- No numerical household-income limit is published on the reviewed official pages.
- Underlying full-benefit Medicaid eligibility applies.
Where you live and where your child is treated
Where your family lives
You must live in: IA.
- The child must be enrolled as a full-benefit Iowa Medicaid member.
Where your child is treated
No treatment-location restriction is published.
How to get started
Does a social worker or care team need to start it? No. A required care-team start is not published; the family can use the available route below.
Who can start: Caregiver, Parent Or Guardian, Patient
- Before a trip over 50 miles, ask whether meals or lodging can be authorized and what receipts are required.
- Call the correct transportation broker with member, pickup, and appointment details at least two working days ahead.
- Identify the child’s Iowa Medicaid plan or fee-for-service status.
Ways to apply or ask
- Online Portal · Open form or page
- Phone · Open form or page · 877-271-4819 — Iowa Total Care transportation.
- Phone · Open form or page · 844-544-1389 — Wellpoint transportation.
- Phone · Open form or page · 866-572-7662 — Fee-for-service transportation.
- Phone · Open form or page · 866-849-2062 — Molina Healthcare transportation.
Documents to prepare
The program does not publish a document checklist. Ask before gathering paperwork.
- The broker may arrange a ride directly or approve reimbursement for an eligible driver and related travel costs.
Availability and timing
| Program | Active |
|---|---|
| Applications | Open |
| Funding or space | Not Published |
| Application window | Rolling |
| Last checked | Aug 23, 2026 |
- The current Iowa HHS page publishes active broker contacts and scheduling instructions; each trip remains subject to coverage and authorization.
- Routine trips generally require at least two working days’ notice; urgent exceptions may apply.
Limitations and things to confirm
- Advance scheduling and trip authorization apply.
- Current reimbursement rates are not published on the main page.
- Full-benefit Iowa Medicaid is required.
- Meal and lodging support for travel over 50 miles must be requested before the appointment.
- Can an attendant accompany the child?
- Is the appointment and requested transportation mode covered?
- What are the current mileage, meal, and lodging reimbursement rates?
- What urgent-trip exception applies if two working days are not available?
- Which broker covers the child?
- Which receipts or prior authorizations are required?
Official sources
Program details were last verified Aug 23, 2026. Availability can change, so check the official program before applying.
- Medical Transportation · checked Aug 23, 2026