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Experts urge adoption of A5032 to improve nonemergency medical transportation for Medicaid patients
Summary
Testifiers including Alan Murray of Medidrive and consultant Carol Gable told the Assembly Health Committee that A5032 outlines industry best practices and could address safety, scheduling and availability problems in nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) for Medicaid beneficiaries.
Alan Murray, chief executive officer of Medidrive, and Carol Gable, partner at MGR2, LLC, told the Assembly Health Committee that nonemergency medical transportation is a critical access point for Medicaid‑eligible seniors, veterans and people with disabilities and recommended that the panel examine Assembly bill A5032 for best‑practice provisions.
Murray described practical access problems: limited hours of operation, complex scheduling processes and provider shortages in rural and underserved urban areas that leave patients unable to reach or return from appointments. He told the committee, “Access to health care is a fundamental right, and transportation plays a vital role in ensuring that our most vulnerable population can receive the medical care they need.” Murray said the bill introduced by Chairwoman Murphy could help standardize vendor qualifications and scheduling to reduce missed appointments and delays in care.
Carol Gable, who said her firm has represented NEMT providers for three decades, gave firsthand examples of poor service and safety lapses. She described an incident in which a driver nearly dropped a wheelchair down three slate steps and said families sometimes must transport patients themselves after a failed pickup. Gable said available data show the current provider received “hundreds of thousands of service related complaints between 2015 and 02/2025,” and that disparity between service calls and formally recorded complaints suggests under‑reporting and a need for stronger oversight.
Gable also recommended vendor criteria, technology upgrades and training, including the use of machine learning and AI to improve scheduling and service reliability. Murray and Gable asked the committee to review A5032 as a model of best practices for nonemergency medical transportation for Medicaid‑eligible patients.
The hearing produced no vote on A5032; proponents left written testimony with committee staff and urged staff to include NEMT reform in future committee work.
