Getting to appointments
Rides to medical appointments
If you have Medicaid and no other way to get to medical care, your state must make sure you can get a ride to covered appointments. Veterans in VA health care may be paid back for travel, and local Area Agencies on Aging fund ride programs for older adults. Medicare itself pays for ambulance rides only in limited cases.
Who may qualify
| Medicaid rides | You have Medicaid and no other way to get to Medicaid-covered care |
|---|---|
| VA travel pay | You're a veteran going to VA care or VA-approved community care, and you have a VA disability rating of 30% or more, are treated for a service-connected condition, get a VA pension, have income below the VA pension limit, or can't afford the trip |
| If you have Medicare and full Medicaid | Your state must still arrange a ride to Medicaid-covered care when Medicare pays first |
| Medicare ambulance rides | Only when traveling any other way could endanger your health and you need care at a hospital, skilled nursing facility or similar place Source: Medicare.gov (source 5) |
What you may get
| What a Medicaid ride looks like | The least costly ride that suits your needs, such as a bus or train pass or a specially equipped vehicle, to the nearest qualified provider |
|---|---|
| VA mileage pay | 41.5 cents a mile for approved health-related travel |
| VA travel deductible | $3 each way, up to $18 a month; after that VA pays the full approved cost for the rest of the month |
| Area Agency on Aging rides | Older Americans Act money funds rides to doctors, pharmacies, grocery stores, senior centers and meal sites; each local agency decides what it offers |
| What you pay for a covered Medicare ambulance ride | 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, after the Part B deductible Source: Medicare.gov (source 5) |
Dates, renewals and waiting lists
| Filing a VA travel claim | Within 30 days of the appointment. Later claims are usually denied. |
|---|
Good to know
- Each state runs its own Medicaid ride program within federal rules, so how you book a ride depends on your state.
- Medicaid first expects you to use free rides you have, such as from family or friends.
- If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, your state may also cover rides to the pharmacy for Part D drugs, but it doesn't have to.
- Veterans can file VA travel claims online. Taxi, bus and other fares, and meals or lodging, need approval from your VA facility first.
- Area Agencies on Aging decide locally which services to fund, so ride programs differ from place to place.
- The Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116, connects older adults and their families to services near them, including local Area Agencies on Aging.
Sources: Medicaid.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) (source 1), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (source 2), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (source 4), Administration for Community Living (source 6)
What people get wrong
MythMedicare pays for rides to the doctor.
Usually not. Medicare covers ambulance rides only when traveling any other way could endanger your health.
MythMedicaid only pays for emergency ambulances.
Not true. Medicaid must also make sure you can get to non-emergency covered care if you have no other way to get there.
MythVA travel pay is only for veterans with a high disability rating.
Not true. You may also qualify if you get a VA pension, have income below the VA pension limit, or can't afford the trip.
Sources
- Medicaid.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), Assurance of Transportation (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Assurance of Transportation: A Medicaid Transportation Coverage Guide (SMD 23-006) (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Reimbursed VA travel expenses and mileage rate (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, File and manage travel reimbursement claims (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Medicare.gov, Ambulance services (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Administration for Community Living, Senior Centers and Supportive Services for Older Adults (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
- Administration for Community Living, Eldercare Locator (official government site). Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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