What Is Medically Necessary Transportation, and Does Your Child Qualify?

Children with complex medical or developmental needs often have multiple appointments each week to undergo treatments or therapy. 

Many also use wheelchairs or other assistive devices that don’t always fit into traditional cars, making it challenging for parents to get them to and from their appointments. 

Medically necessary transportation makes this process easier for families by providing safe rides covered by insurance. 

At Little Angels PPEC, with locations in Longwood, Orlando, and Apopka, Florida, our team offers medically necessary transportation services to children and teens. Keep reading to learn how it works and whether your child may qualify.

What is medically necessary transportation?

Medically necessary transportation, also called medical transportation or non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), provides cost-free rides covered by insurance or Medicaid. 

It’s a special program designed for people with complex medical or developmental needs who can’t get to their doctor’s appointments or other essential appointments using traditional transportation, such as a car or bus.

This service can be provided by:

• Ambulance
• Non-emergency medical vehicles
• Wheelchair accessible vans
• Taxis

It can generally only be used to access medical care. However, there is an exception: children can also use it to travel to and from school or daycare, as long as it’s part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Who qualifies?

For a child to qualify for medically necessary transportation, they must have a condition that prevents safe travel, such as:

• Chronic illness
• Disability
• Mobility limitation
• Other medical conditions that make standard travel unsafe

Insurance companies and government programs consider several factors, including your child’s age, medical condition, mobility, and whether you can safely provide transportation yourself. 

They also require a certificate from your child’s pediatrician confirming that medical transportation is necessary for safety.

Who qualifies for these services varies significantly from state to state. If you’ve recently moved, we recommend reviewing the specific requirements for Florida.

How to apply for medically necessary transportation

Applying for medical transportation is typically a three-step process:

Meet with your child’s pediatrician

First, make an appointment with your child’s doctor and request a medical transportation certificate. They can provide this paperwork if your child has a qualifying medical condition or disability.

Contact your insurance provider

Next, contact your insurance provider or the Florida Medicaid office. They can help you understand your options and point you to approved transportation providers. The good news is that Little Angels PPEC is one of these providers.

Enroll in our medically necessary transportation program

Once you’ve acquired the necessary paperwork and approvals, you can begin medical transportation right away. We regularly provide this service to students at both of our locations. 

Each vehicle is staffed with a medical professional who is trained to recognize and respond to medical needs, giving parents peace of mind.

Ask us about medically necessary transportation

If your child has complex medical or developmental needs, attends multiple doctors' appointments each month, and is enrolled in one of our medical daycare centers, medically necessary transportation can save you time and energy.

To learn more about our program, contact the nearest Little Angels Pediatric Extended Care office in Orlando, Apopka, or Longwood, Florida. Call or book your appointment online today.