# SmartLink Mobility Management in 2027: Medical Assistance Rides in Scott and Carver Counties

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/brokers/smartlink/ · Updated 2026-09-30

SmartLink Mobility Management is the Scott County program that arranges fee-for-service Medical Assistance rides and mileage reimbursement for Scott and Carver county residents in Minnesota. Members book up to 14 business days ahead at 952-496-8341, option 2. NEMT companies ask SmartLink for its contract and billing terms, but DHS is not enrolling new NEMT providers located in either county until January 27, 2027.

- SmartLink is run by Scott County. It is the local agency for fee-for-service Medical Assistance rides in Scott and Carver counties.
- It handles mileage, volunteer, unassisted, and assisted rides. DHS itself handles lift, protected, and stretcher rides.
- Members book up to 14 business days ahead and send signed trip logs within 30 days. SmartLink approves the mileage before the trip.
- DHS is not enrolling new NEMT providers located in Scott, Carver, or the other metro counties until January 27, 2027.
- Since August 1, 2026, SmartLink's claims list your company as the referring provider and your driver as the rendering provider.

SmartLink is Scott County's mobility management program, run from the Government Center in Shakopee for Scott and Carver counties. It is a county service, not a private broker. For Medical Assistance members who are not in a health plan, the DHS provider manual names SmartLink as the local agency contact for NEMT and mileage reimbursement in both counties. See [mobility management](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/mobility-management/) for how this kind of program works.

## What SmartLink arranges

Minnesota law sorts NEMT into seven modes. In its March 2, 2026 briefing to a House committee, DHS said local agencies administer modes 1 to 4 and the state administers modes 5 to 7. The DHS manual (revised July 7, 2025) sends Scott and Carver residents to SmartLink for the local agency modes. Elsewhere, MTM Health coordinates them for 17 counties through Hennepin and St. Louis counties, and every other county or tribe runs its own.

| Mode | What it covers | Who arranges it in Scott and Carver | State rate (base plus per mile) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Personal mileage | The member, or someone with a personal tie, drives | SmartLink | $0.22 a mile |
| 2. Volunteer driver | A volunteer in a personal car, curb to curb | SmartLink | Up to 100% of the IRS business mileage rate |
| 3. Unassisted | Taxi, bus, light rail, other carriers, or airfare, curb to curb | SmartLink | The transit fare, or $12.10 plus $1.43 a mile by a NEMT provider |
| 4. Assisted | Door-to-door or door-through-door help | SmartLink | $14.30 plus $1.43 a mile |
| 5. Lift-equipped or ramp | A member who depends on a device | DHS | $19.80 plus $1.70 a mile |
| 6. Protected | A secured vehicle for a prescreened member | DHS | $75 plus $2.40 a mile |
| 7. Stretcher | A member lying down | DHS | $60 plus $2.40 a mile, plus $9 for a needed extra attendant |

The rates are the fee-for-service rates in Minnesota Statutes 256B.0625, subdivision 17. Payment follows the member's assessed mode, not the vehicle you send. When Minnesota's average gas price, as the U.S. Energy Information Administration posts it, tops $3.00 a gallon, DHS adjusts the per-mile rates each quarter by 1% for every 10 cents above $3.00. DHS told legislators that miles with no member on board cannot be billed. For SmartLink rides, you bill SmartLink, not MHCP. The DHS manual says the county pays the lesser of your charge and the MHCP allowed amount, so ask SmartLink for its rates in writing. See [level of service](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/level-of-service/) for how a member's mode is set.

### What a covered trip looks like

- **Distance.** Rides go to a provider within 30 miles of home for primary care and 60 miles for specialty care, unless the trip is authorized.
- **Direct route.** Trips run from pickup to drop-off by the most direct route, in the most appropriate and cost-effective mode.
- **Passengers.** One responsible person may ride along when needed for medical decisions or care.
- **Health plan members.** Members in a managed care plan get most rides through the plan. MinnesotaCare members in a plan still get personal mileage and out-of-state travel through the local agency.

## How members book SmartLink rides and mileage

1. **Call 952-496-8341, option 2,** with the member's name, date of birth, Medical Assistance number, and home address.
2. **Give every appointment** before the trip: dates, times, and locations. Trips can be booked up to 14 business days ahead.
3. **Get authorization numbers** and the approved mileage from the agent.
4. **Have the clinic sign or stamp** SmartLink's trip log at the visit, and attach parking or meal receipts.
5. **Send the form within 30 days** of the appointment by mail, fax to 952-279-6110, or email to transit@co.scott.mn.us. SmartLink mails a check within 30 days of receiving it.

Two more rules shape who rides with whom. A member who has a vehicle must use personal mileage and cannot get another mode, unless a medical professional documents a condition that prevents safe driving. And a minor riding without a parent needs a signed parental authorization on file before SmartLink schedules the trip. It is good for one year. The county calculates every approved mileage figure with its own mapping software.

### Other ride options in the two counties

SmartLink also runs the Hop Scott Volunteer Driver Program, where residents drive riders in their own cars and are reimbursed for mileage. Transit Link, a dial-a-ride bus, serves both counties. As of September 2026, a ride costs $4.50 at peak hours and $3.50 off peak and on weekends, plus $0.75 for trips over 15 miles, booked at 651-602-5465 up to seven days ahead. MVTA Connect serves Savage, Prior Lake, and Shakopee. Each member must use the most appropriate and cost-effective mode, so these options come before a paid NEMT ride when they fit.

## How a NEMT company works with SmartLink

### Check the enrollment moratorium first

On July 23, 2026, DHS extended its moratorium on enrolling NEMT providers located in the seven-county metro area: Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington. It runs from January 27, 2026 to January 27, 2027. DHS will not enroll any new NEMT provider located there in that time. Providers located in any other Minnesota county can enroll. Health plans cannot fill the gap, because federal rule 42 CFR 438.602(b) makes the state screen and enroll every network provider of a Medicaid health plan. See the [metro enrollment freeze](https://nemtguide.com/news/minnesota-metro-nemt-enrollment-freeze/).

### The steps

1. **Get a MnDOT special transportation service (STS) certificate.** State law requires every NEMT provider to meet the STS standards in Minnesota Statutes 174.29 to 174.30 and Minnesota Rules chapter 8840. The [Minnesota guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/minnesota/) walks through the certificate, the decal, and the vehicle inspection.
2. **Enroll your company with Minnesota Health Care Programs.** DHS classifies NEMT as a high-risk provider type, with background checks and site visits before enrollment and at revalidation every three years.
3. **Enroll each driver** with MHCP, affiliated with your company. Since January 1, 2023, every NEMT claim must list the enrolled driver's UMPI as the rendering provider. Public transit, volunteers, not-for-hire vehicles, and ambulances are exempt.
4. **Contact SmartLink** at 952-496-8341 or transit@co.scott.mn.us. The DHS manual tells providers to get transportation contracting information and billing requirements from SmartLink.
5. **Give SmartLink your NPI or UMPI.** Since August 1, 2026, claims submitted by a local agency or coordinator must list the transportation company's NPI or UMPI as the referring provider, next to the driver's UMPI.
6. **Know which rides are not SmartLink's.** Lift, protected, and stretcher rides for fee-for-service members are state-administered modes, and health plan members ride through their plan. See [contracting with Medicaid health plans](https://nemtguide.com/guides/contract-with-medicaid-health-plans/).

State law also bars a terminated NEMT provider, its named owners, and its affiliates from enrolling again for five years, followed by a year of probation with unannounced site visits.

## Trip records every SmartLink ride needs

Minnesota Statutes 256B.0625, subdivision 17b makes trip records a condition of payment. They can be on paper or electronic, must be in English and legible, and must be produced on request. The DHS manual says to keep them five years from when the service is first billed. Each record needs:

| Who and when | Where and how | Proof |
|---|---|---|
| Member's name | Origin and destination addresses, or a description | Driver's signature and date, attesting to the service and actual miles |
| Date of service | Direct-route mileage and the method used to find it | Member's signature and date, or the medical provider's |
| Driver's name or provider number | Mode of transportation | A note that signatures were requested, if both refuse |
| Pickup time | License plate of the vehicle | Name of any extra attendant |
| Drop-off time | Odometer at pickup and at drop-off | |

Starting January 1, 2027, or on federal approval if later, Laws 2026 chapter 121 also requires NEMT providers to meet the state's electronic visit verification law, section 256B.073. EVV records that include every element above can serve as the trip record. See [EVV for NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/evv-for-nemt/) and the free [trip log template](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-trip-log-template/).

## What changes when Minnesota hires one NEMT administrator

Minnesota Statutes 256B.0625, subdivision 18i, effective July 1, 2026, requires DHS to contract statewide or regionally for NEMT administration, including rides for health plan members. Laws 2026 chapter 121, signed May 27, 2026, added that DHS must give counties, managed care organizations, and county-based purchasing organizations six months of notice before the administrator starts. The same law keeps the statutory rates, the rural add-ons, and the fuel adjustment in place until then.

The paragraphs that name the local agency as the administrative agency and have it pay for rides also stay until the administrator starts. Scott and Carver counties will hear at least six months before that happens. Watch the MHCP provider news page, and see [Minnesota delays its single NEMT administrator](https://nemtguide.com/news/minnesota-nemt-administrator-delay/). For the coordinator that serves the neighboring metro counties, see [MTM Health](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/mtm-health/).

## Who to call

| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Medical Assistance rides and mileage reimbursement | SmartLink customer service, 952-496-8341, option 2 |
| Fax and email | Fax 952-279-6110, transit@co.scott.mn.us |
| Volunteer driving | Hop Scott, 952-496-8341, option 2 |
| Mail | SmartLink, 200 4th Avenue West, Shakopee, MN 55379 |
| Transit Link reservations | 651-602-5465 |
| DHS questions about the NEMT moratorium | transportation.DHS@state.mn.us |
| MHCP Provider Resource Center | 651-431-2700 or 800-366-5411 |

Before you contact SmartLink, have your MHCP enrollment status, NPI or UMPI, each driver's UMPI, your MnDOT STS certificate, your insurance certificate, and a vehicle list.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is SmartLink Mobility Management?

It is Scott County's mobility management team, based at the Government Center in Shakopee and serving Scott and Carver counties. It runs the Hop Scott volunteer driver program, helps residents find transit, and arranges Medical Assistance rides and mileage reimbursement. The DHS provider manual names SmartLink as the contact for local agency NEMT in both counties.

### Can my NEMT company get SmartLink trips?

Only with Minnesota Health Care Programs enrollment, and the DHS manual tells providers to contact SmartLink for its enrollment, contracting, and billing requirements. As of July 23, 2026, DHS is not enrolling new NEMT providers located in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington county until January 27, 2027. A company located in any other Minnesota county can still enroll.

### How far ahead do members book a SmartLink ride?

Members can reserve up to 14 business days ahead by calling 952-496-8341, option 2. They give their name, date of birth, Medical Assistance number, home address, and the dates, times, and places of their appointments. The agent gives them authorization numbers and the approved mileage for each trip.

### Who arranges wheelchair and stretcher rides in Scott and Carver?

For fee-for-service members, DHS administers lift-equipped or ramp, protected, and stretcher rides itself, as modes 5 to 7. SmartLink covers modes 1 to 4. A member who needs a higher mode is referred to the state's medical review agent for a level of service assessment. Members in a health plan get their rides through that plan.

### How long do members have to send SmartLink their reimbursement forms?

SmartLink's trip log says to mail or fax it no later than 30 days after the appointment, with the clinic's signature or stamp and any parking or meal receipts. Incomplete lines are returned unpaid. SmartLink mails a reimbursement check within 30 days of receiving the form.

### Will SmartLink keep arranging rides after Minnesota picks a single NEMT administrator?

Until that administrator starts, the current setup stays. State law requires DHS to contract statewide or regionally for NEMT administration, but a law signed May 27, 2026 requires six months of notice to counties and health plans before the administrator starts. The local agency role and the current statutory rates stay in effect until then.

## Official resources

- [Scott County: SmartLink Non-Emergency Medical Assistance](https://www.scottcountymn.gov/553/Non-Emergency-Medical-Assistance)
- [Scott County: SmartLink MA reimbursement trip log](https://www.scottcountymn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18327/NEMT-reimbursement-form-2022-2023)
- [Scott County: Hop Scott Volunteer Driver Program](https://www.scottcountymn.gov/2085/Hop-Scott-Volunteer-Driver-Program)
- [Minnesota DHS provider manual: Local County or Tribal Agency NEMT Services](https://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=DHS16_141019)
- [Minnesota DHS: MHCP provider news and updates](https://mn.gov/dhs/partners-and-providers/news-initiatives-reports-workgroups/minnesota-health-care-programs/provider-news/)
- [MnDOT: How to become a certified STS provider](https://www.dot.state.mn.us/cvo/sts/becomeaprovider.html)
- [Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0625 (NEMT rates and trip records)](https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/256B.0625)