Committee signs off on Medicaid nonemergency transport funding; agency says $13M estimate covers drivers and brokers
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Summary
The Department for Medicaid Services said an estimated $13 million request for nonemergency medical transport is an actuarial estimate to cover drivers and regional broker administrative percentages; the committee approved the amendment and asked for clarification of administrative shares.
The contracts review committee approved an amendment to Medicaid’s nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) contract after agency officials described the additional dollars as an actuarial estimate to cover likely expenses.
Justin Derringer, director of the division of health care policy at the Department for Medicaid Services, told the committee that the additional $13 million referenced in the package is an estimate prepared two years earlier using actuarial inputs such as fuel and vehicle maintenance and that actual spending may be less. He said the full contract funds the NEMT program and that regional brokers receive a percentage for administrative costs.
Committee members asked whether the additional funds would go directly to drivers or if a portion would be used for broker administration. ‘‘The amount will be for both NEMT services directly to the drivers, and then the regional brokers, which have a user percentage of that for their administrative costs as well,’’ Derringer said.
Why it matters: NEMT funding affects Medicaid beneficiaries’ access to care, state Medicaid spending and the broker model used to deliver services.
What’s next: The committee approved the item; Medicaid staff said they will continue actuarial reviews and manage payments across drivers and brokers.
