# SafeRide Health in Ohio: Buckeye Health Plan Rides (2027)

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/brokers/saferide-health/ohio/ · Updated 2026-09-30

For Ohio Medicaid, SafeRide Health books rides for one health plan, Buckeye Health Plan, and has since July 1, 2024, for its Medicaid, OhioRISE, and MyCare members. To get those trips, hold a PUCO certificate, license any wheelchair vans with the state EMS board, and fill out SafeRide's online signup with a real NPI. Carry PUCO's $1.5 million liability minimum, well above SafeRide's $500,000 auto floor.

- Buckeye is SafeRide's only Ohio Medicaid plan, so its Ohio Medicaid trips are Buckeye Medicaid, OhioRISE, and MyCare riders.
- Buckeye covers all 88 counties, so a SafeRide contract can bring riders anywhere in Ohio.
- Transportation companies get Buckeye's ambulatory and wheelchair van rides. Buckeye books ambulance rides itself.
- PUCO's $1.5 million liability minimum for vehicles seating 15 or fewer is three times SafeRide's $500,000 auto floor.
- Wheelchair vans need an ambulette license and yearly state inspections before they can take SafeRide trips.

## SafeRide Health in Ohio at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Ohio plans | Buckeye Health Plan, for its Medicaid, OhioRISE, and MyCare Ohio members, since July 1, 2024. SafeRide's member site also lists ride lines for MediGold and UnitedHealthcare Ohio members (September 2026). |
| Ride line | 1-866-531-0615 (TTY 1-855-823-8587), Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, with urgent treatment and discharge rides booked around the clock |
| Where the riders are | All 88 Ohio counties. Buckeye is based in Columbus, with regional offices in Akron, Cincinnati, and Toledo (Buckeye backgrounder, September 2026). |
| Work for van companies | Ambulatory NEMT for riders who walk with a device and need help, and standard or XL wheelchair vans. Buckeye books non-emergency ambulance rides itself. |
| MyCare members | Buckeye's MyCare plan became Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align (HMO D-SNP) on January 1, 2026, and its 2026 manual keeps the 1-866-531-0615 ride line |
| Ohio registration | A PUCO certificate for any for-hire passenger carrier. Wheelchair vans add an ambulette license ($100 a year) and a $50 permit and $50 inspection per van each year. |
| Insurance | SafeRide: $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate general liability, $500,000 auto. PUCO: $1.5 million liability for vehicles seating 15 or fewer. |
| Standards | 100% ride response, 95% or more acceptance and on time, complaints under 1%, and a kickback rate under 5%, as of September 2026 |
| Pay | Set by your SafeRide agreement. Ohio rule 5160-15-28 (August 1, 2026) applies the state fee schedule only to fee-for-service rides. |
| New providers | team@saferidehealth.com or (855) 955-7433 |

SafeRide Health books Medicaid rides for a single Ohio health plan. Buckeye Health Plan moved its rides to SafeRide on July 1, 2024, while four other plans use [MTM Health](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/mtm-health/ohio/), and CareSource and UnitedHealthcare use [Provide A Ride](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/provide-a-ride/). How Ohio splits Medicaid rides between the plans and the county job and family services offices is in the [Ohio guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/ohio/), and SafeRide's signup, app, and Tier 1 program are on the [SafeRide Health page](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/saferide-health/).

## Which Ohio members SafeRide drives

SafeRide's Buckeye page says it began rides for Buckeye's Medicaid and MyCare Ohio members on July 1, 2024, and its guide for Buckeye adds members enrolled in OhioRISE. As of September 2026, that means four groups of riders, all booked through the same line:

| Buckeye program | Who rides | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Buckeye Medicaid | Ohio Medicaid members enrolled in Buckeye | Members book at least 48 hours, or two business days, ahead |
| OhioRISE members in Buckeye | Children and youth with complex behavioral health needs | Never booked by rideshare |
| Wellcare Buckeye MyCare Ohio Dual Align (HMO D-SNP) | Members with both Medicare and Medicaid | Replaced Buckeye's MyCare Medicare-Medicaid Plan on January 1, 2026 |
| Buckeye MyCare Ohio, Medicaid-only | MyCare members whose Medicare is with another plan | Buckeye's MyCare page lists the same 1-866-531-0615 ride line |

Buckeye's 2026 manual for its Next Generation MyCare Ohio plans, amended February 2026, sends wheelchair and ambulatory rides to 1-866-531-0615 at least 48 hours ahead, just as its Medicaid manual does. Both manuals list up to 30 round trips a year to health, dental, and WIC visits on top of rides to care 30 or more miles away, and Buckeye's other documents list fewer; the [Buckeye Health Plan page](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/buckeye-health-plan-ohio/) compares them.

Buckeye's newsroom backgrounder, as of September 2026, says the plan serves all 88 Ohio counties from its Columbus headquarters and regional offices in Akron, Cincinnati, and Toledo, with more than 300,000 members across its Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace products. A company anywhere in the state can have Buckeye riders nearby, so list every county you can cover in the signup form's counties field.

SafeRide's member site also lists ride lines for two more Ohio plans, as of September 2026: MediGold, Mount Carmel's Medicare Advantage plan, at 833-944-0516, and UnitedHealthcare Ohio at 888-462-6048. Ask your network vendor manager whether trips for those members come with your Ohio contract.

## Which Buckeye rides reach a transportation company

SafeRide's Buckeye guide, version 7, sorts every rider into one ride type, and only some types go to an NEMT company:

- **Rideshare or transit** for riders who walk to and from the car without help. OhioRISE members are never booked this way.
- **Ambulatory NEMT** for riders who walk with a walker, cane, or other device and need a hand.
- **Wheelchair van** for riders who stay in their wheelchair, and an **XL wheelchair van** when the chair's base is wider than 34 inches.

Buckeye books non-emergency ambulance rides through its own Member Services at 1-866-246-4358, at least 24 hours ahead, and SafeRide's guide lists no stretcher ride type. Family and friends who register with SafeRide can also be paid mileage for driving a member. What is left for your vans is riders who need help and riders in wheelchairs, which in Ohio means an ambulette license for the wheelchair side. If you run lifts rated for heavy or wide chairs, say so when you apply; see [bariatric transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/bariatric-transportation/).

Expect extra passengers. Buckeye's manuals say the ride vendor carries parents or legal guardians of a minor member and may allow siblings, and Buckeye's Medicaid manual, following Ohio's plan contract, has Buckeye arrange rides for an OhioRISE child's parents, caregivers, and siblings in the home when the child's treatment needs them, even when the child is not riding. See [escorts and caregivers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/escorts-and-caregivers/).

## What Ohio adds to SafeRide's requirements

SafeRide uses one credentialing list in every state, and Ohio law sits on top of it. As of September 2026:

| Item | SafeRide asks for | Ohio requires |
|---|---|---|
| Authority to operate | A company licensed for NEMT in every area you serve | A PUCO certificate for carrying riders for pay (section 4921.03), plus an EMFTS ambulette license and a permit for each wheelchair van |
| Auto liability | At least $500,000 | $1.5 million for vehicles seating 15 or fewer, driver included, and $5 million for 16 or more (rule 4901:2-13-03) |
| General liability | $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate | Ambulette services: at least $500,000 per occurrence and in the aggregate (section 4766.06) |
| Each vehicle | Current registration and insurance card | Ambulettes: $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident, and $50,000 property, with 30 days' cancellation notice to the EMFTS board |
| Driver training | First aid, CPR, or AED training; defensive driving; wheelchair securement; passenger assistance | Ambulette drivers: CPR and first aid with hands-on training, and a passenger assistance course at least every three years (rule 4766-3-13) |
| Medicaid ID | Asked for, but optional on the form | Wheelchair vans can enroll with ODM for fee-for-service trips, with a $750 application fee in 2026 |

Buy to the higher line in each row. PUCO's $1.5 million minimum is three times SafeRide's auto floor, and under rules 4901:2-13-04 and 4901:2-13-05 your insurer, one authorized to do business in Ohio, files it with PUCO before you carry anyone for pay. An ambulette service pays $100 a year for its license, plus a $50 permit and a $50 inspection per van each year under rule 4766-3-03. The [Ohio guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/ohio/) walks through the PUCO and ambulette steps, and [NEMT insurance requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-insurance-requirements/) explains each coverage.

## How Buckeye trips run and pay in Ohio

Ohio's contract with its health plans, revised July 2026, holds Buckeye's ride vendor to pickups within 15 minutes of the scheduled time and no more than 30 minutes after the requested time. A shared ride may add no more than 60 minutes to any rider's direct trip. SafeRide's own targets run on top, at 95 percent on time and 95 percent acceptance, and the [SafeRide Health page](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/saferide-health/) covers how offers and confirmations work. Record each pickup and drop-off time on your [trip log](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-trip-log-template/).

Two Ohio rules can change a day's schedule. Each plan files a winter weather plan with ODM that sets which snow emergency levels cancel trips, so ask your network vendor manager how Buckeye cancellations reach your dispatch; see [a bad weather policy](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-bad-weather-policy/). And Ohio's Senate Bill 315, effective October 6, 2026, has ODM require GPS verification of Medicaid rides within 18 months, leaving out licensed ambulette and ambulance services; the [county NET guide](https://nemtguide.com/guides/ohio-county-net-contracts/) has the dates.

Ohio rule 5160-15-28, effective August 1, 2026, applies the state's fee schedule only to fee-for-service rides and leaves rides a health plan arranges to the plan's contract, so your SafeRide agreement sets what Buckeye trips pay. For comparison, ODM pays wheelchair vans up to $31.00 a trip, $1.30 a loaded mile, and $15.00 for an attendant for members outside the plans, amounts unchanged since January 1, 2024. Get SafeRide's Ohio rate for each ride type in writing before your first trip, and see [negotiating broker rates](https://nemtguide.com/guides/negotiate-nemt-broker-rates/).

## Who to call

| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Joining SafeRide's network | team@saferidehealth.com or (855) 955-7433 |
| Current SafeRide providers | Your network vendor manager |
| Buckeye member rides | 1-866-531-0615 (TTY 1-855-823-8587) |
| Buckeye non-emergency ambulance rides | Buckeye Member Services, 1-866-246-4358 |
| Buckeye Provider Services | 1-866-296-8731 |
| Clinic ride problems | buckeye_escalations@saferidehealth.com, answered within one business day |

## What to do first

1. **Get your PUCO certificate**, and the ambulette license and van permits if you run wheelchair vans.
2. **Insure to PUCO's $1.5 million minimum**, with SafeRide named as additional insured.
3. **Fill out SafeRide's signup form in one sitting** if you can, with a real NPI, and finish it within 30 days.
4. **List every Ohio county you can serve** and your wheelchair and XL capacity.
5. **Ask your network vendor manager** what SafeRide pays per ride type in Ohio and how weather cancellations reach you.
6. **Apply to MTM Health and Provide A Ride too**, since Buckeye riders are only part of each county's plan members.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does SafeRide Health work in Ohio?

Yes. For Ohio Medicaid, SafeRide has booked rides for one health plan, Buckeye Health Plan, since July 1, 2024, for its Medicaid members, its members enrolled in OhioRISE, and its MyCare Ohio members. The other Ohio Medicaid plans use MTM Health or Provide A Ride, as of September 2026. SafeRide's member site also lists ride lines for MediGold, a Medicare Advantage plan, and for UnitedHealthcare Ohio members.

### What is the SafeRide phone number for Buckeye in Ohio?

Members and clinics book at 1-866-531-0615 (TTY 1-855-823-8587), Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, with urgent treatment and discharge rides booked any hour. Transportation companies that want to join write to team@saferidehealth.com or call (855) 955-7433. Companies already in the network work through their network vendor manager.

### How do I become a SafeRide provider in Ohio?

Get a PUCO certificate for for-hire passenger service. For wheelchair vans, also get an ambulette license and a permit for each van from the State Board of EMFTS. Then fill out the signup form on SafeRide's NEMT provider page with a real NPI and your EIN, finish it within 30 days, and send your company, driver, and vehicle files.

### What insurance do I need for SafeRide in Ohio?

SafeRide asks for $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate general liability, $500,000 auto liability, and SafeRide as additional insured. Ohio sets a higher floor. PUCO requires $1.5 million in liability for vehicles seating 15 or fewer, driver included. Ambulette services also need $500,000 per occurrence and per-vehicle auto limits of $100,000, $300,000, and $50,000.

### Does SafeRide book stretcher or ambulance rides for Buckeye?

No. SafeRide's Buckeye guide lists rideshare and transit, ambulatory NEMT, and standard or XL wheelchair vans. Buckeye books non-emergency ambulance rides through its own Member Services at 1-866-246-4358, at least 24 hours ahead. In Ohio, stretcher trips fall under ambulance licensing, not the ambulette license.

### Does SafeRide handle CareSource Medicaid rides in Ohio?

No. CareSource's Ohio Medicaid rides go through Provide A Ride, which has handled them since May 1, 2021, and Provide A Ride's ride request page still lists CareSource Ohio, as of September 2026. AmeriHealth Caritas Ohio, Anthem, Humana Healthy Horizons, and Molina use MTM Health. To reach riders in every Ohio plan, a company needs contracts with all three brokers.

## Official resources

- [SafeRide Health: Join the NEMT network (signup form)](https://www.saferidehealth.com/what-to-expect-nemt-provider)
- [Buckeye Health Plan: Buckeye Transportation Program provider guide](https://www.buckeyehealthplan.com/content/dam/centene/Buckeye/WebsitePDFs/saferide/SafeRideBuckeyeProviderv7%20(2).pdf)
- [Buckeye Health Plan: 2026 Medicaid provider manual](https://www.buckeyehealthplan.com/content/dam/centene/Buckeye/WebsitePDFs/Manuals/Buckeye_Provider%20Manual_BHP%20MEDICAID%20Provider%20Manual%202026_FINAL_amd%201.6.26-2-6kr.pdf)
- [Ohio Administrative Code: Chapter 4766-3, Ambulettes](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/chapter-4766-3)
- [Ohio Administrative Code: Rule 4901:2-13-03, PUCO insurance minimums](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-4901:2-13-03)