# Verida in Tennessee: BlueCare and TennCare Select Rides (2027)

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

Verida books TennCare rides for BlueCare Tennessee, TennCare Select, and BlueCare Plus members in all 95 Tennessee counties, from a call center in Chattanooga. To get those trips, register with TennCare for a Medicaid ID, send Verida's Request for Qualifications with driver and vehicle lists, and call its Tennessee provider line at 1-855-735-1020. Verida adds companies only where it needs more rides.

- Verida books rides for BlueCare and TennCare Select, which held about 41 percent of TennCare's members in July 2026, in all 95 counties.
- Get your TennCare Medicaid ID before you send Verida's Request for Qualifications, and ask a Tennessee provider relations manager which counties are short.
- Verida's Tennessee network goes past TennCare's floor: drivers 21 and older, CPR, random drug tests of at least 5 percent of drivers each quarter, and "any auto" liability.
- Verida grades each company on 10-minute pickups and drop-offs, provider no-shows under 1 percent, and grievances under 0.1 percent.
- You get 24 hours to answer a grievance in writing and 10 days to fix a failed vehicle, which stays out of service until it passes again.

## Verida in Tennessee at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| What Verida runs | TennCare rides for BlueCare Tennessee, TennCare Select, and BlueCare Plus members in all three grand regions, under its contract with BlueCare (September 2026) |
| Riders it reaches | 529,180 BlueCare and 27,331 TennCare Select members in TennCare's July 2026 report, about 41 percent of all 1,357,979 TennCare members |
| Tennessee office | Call center at 5600 Brainerd Road, Suite H-100, Chattanooga 37411. Office 423-893-8282, fax 423-893-8225. |
| Provider and claims lines | Tennessee providers 1-855-735-1020. Claims 678-510-4600, option 2. |
| Provider relations | Heath Williams (hwilliams@verida.com, 423-326-6331) and Kevin Reeves (wreeves@verida.com), as of September 2026 |
| How to join | A TennCare Medicaid ID first, then the Request for Qualifications with a driver list and a vehicle list. Verida calls back if your area needs providers. |
| Drivers | At least 21 in Verida's Tennessee network, where TennCare allows 18. The 32 hours of training must include CPR, which TennCare's topic list leaves out. |
| Scorecard | Pickups and drop-offs within 10 minutes of schedule, returns within 60 minutes, provider no-shows under 1 percent, grievances under 0.1 percent |
| Pay | File within 120 days of the trip. Verida's policy is to pay clean claims within 30 days, on a schedule it publishes each quarter. |
| Not Verida | UnitedHealthcare Community Plan and Wellpoint riders, who book through Tennessee Carriers |

Verida, Inc., the Villa Rica, Georgia broker once called Southeastrans, books TennCare rides for BlueCare Tennessee under a contract with the plan, and runs its Tennessee call center from Chattanooga. TennCare pays each health plan to cover its members, and each plan uses one ride broker, so a Verida agreement is the only way to carry BlueCare's TennCare riders. The state's registration, license, driver, and insurance floor is in the [Tennessee state guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/tennessee/), and Verida's other states are on the [Verida broker page](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/verida/).

Verida's rules for its Tennessee network sit in one document: Attachment I of BlueCare's Provider Administration Manual, the Verida Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Provider Manual, in the October 1, 2026 edition. BlueCare reviews it with Verida every quarter, so work from the newest edition.

## Who Verida books rides for in Tennessee

Verida arranges rides for three plans run by BlueCare Tennessee, statewide, in all three of TennCare's grand regions: 21 counties in the West, 39 in Middle Tennessee, and 35 in the East. As of September 2026:

| Plan | Who is in it | Verida ride line |
|---|---|---|
| BlueCare Tennessee | TennCare members in BlueCare, 529,180 in July 2026 | 1-855-735-4660 |
| TennCare Select | TennCare's own plan, which BlueCare runs for the state, 27,331 members in July 2026 | 1-866-473-7565 |
| BlueCare Plus | BlueCare's Medicare plan for people with full TennCare benefits through BlueCare | 1-855-681-5032 |

Together, BlueCare and TennCare Select held 556,511 of TennCare's 1,357,979 members in the July 2026 enrollment report, about 41 percent. The split by grand region is on the [BlueCare transportation page](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/bluecare-tennessee/). The lines answer 24 hours a day, riders can also book at member.verida.com, and hospitals and clinics book discharges and appointments at facility.verida.com.

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan and Wellpoint riders never reach you through Verida. They book with [Tennessee Carriers](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/tennessee-carriers/), which signs its own agreements, and a rider who switches plans switches brokers too.

BlueCare Plus also carries a Medicare extra that stays outside Verida's network. Its 2026 summary of benefits pays for rides to plan-approved vision and hearing visits, fitness center visits, and non-emergency ambulance rides TennCare does not cover, from a shared monthly allowance on the member's Flex Card, with an approved Flex Card transportation company. The same summary says a member needs Medicare Parts A and B and full TennCare benefits through BlueCare Tennessee to join, and Verida's BlueCare Plus line, 1-855-681-5032, books these members to TennCare-covered care.

### What changes on January 1, 2027

By January 1, 2027, anyone with full Medicare and TennCare benefits who wants a Medicare [dual special needs plan](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/dual-special-needs-plan/) must have it with the same company as their TennCare plan, or be moved to Original Medicare. TennCare opened an extra plan change window from June 1 to October 31, 2026 for this. Some dual riders may move into BlueCare and Verida, and others may move out to UnitedHealthcare or Wellpoint and Tennessee Carriers, so check the plan on every [standing order](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-standing-orders/) rider in January.

TennCare's statewide contract with its health plans, in the version with Amendment 25 (July 1, 2026), runs through December 31, 2026. Check TennCare's ride page in January 2027 before you plan around the BlueCare and Verida pairing.

## How to join Verida's Tennessee network

Verida invites companies to contract only in areas that need more transportation, and it weighs each application against the need where the company is based. As of September 2026, the path looks like this:

1. **Get your TennCare Medicaid ID.** TennCare says a company without an active Medicaid ID cannot be considered for a contract with any TennCare health plan or be paid for serving TennCare members. The [state guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/tennessee/) walks through registration.
2. **Call before you apply.** Ask the provider line, 1-855-735-1020, or a Tennessee provider and facility relations manager, Heath Williams or Kevin Reeves, which counties and vehicle types are short.
3. **Send the Request for Qualifications.** Choose Tennessee as your state on the form and attach a driver list and a vehicle list. If your area needs providers, Verida calls you for an interview.
4. **Send the Tennessee checklist.** A current business license, proof of liability insurance, driver credentials, criminal background checks for all drivers, current drug screens for all owners and drivers, and a current driving record for each driver.
5. **Sign the Tennessee attestations.** Before the agreement and every six months after, you attest in writing that you do not knowingly use anyone without federal permission to work in the United States. The agreement treats this rule, from Tennessee's Public Chapter 878 of 2006, as a material term. Every year, you also sign Verida's Conflict of Interest and Contractor Independence Disclosure Form.
6. **Pass inspection and training.** Each vehicle passes Verida's first inspection. Each driver finishes 32 hours of training, including CPR, which Verida requires above TennCare's minimum, and defensive driving, where Verida's course list names the National Safety Council course and, for Tennessee, the AAA Driver Improvement Program. Verida runs classes for new drivers and for the 15 hours each driver needs every year.
7. **Finish orientation, then sign.** You, as the owner, and your dispatchers, supervisors, and mechanics complete every section of Verida's NEMT Provider Orientation Program. The agreement is signed at the end of your orientation session.

The orientation covers what TennCare covers and does not, prior approval, the vehicle and driver rules, the trip data you record, what makes a [clean claim](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/clean-claim/), payment policies, member rights, and grievances. Verida can ask for certified copies of any Tennessee license, certificate, or permit your business needs, such as a local business license. If you base vans in Nashville, see NEMT in Nashville for Metro's rules on vehicles for hire. The [credentialing checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-credentialing-checklist/) helps you gather the file.

### Ambulance companies

Licensed ambulance services get alternate rules in Verida's Tennessee manual:

- **Employee list.** Driver's license numbers instead of Social Security numbers, unless you want Verida to coordinate the background checks.
- **Inspections.** Verida and BlueCare accept Department of Health inspection records as proof your ambulances meet TennCare's vehicle rules. Send your latest state inspection forms, including the mechanical inspection, with your application. Verida's general vehicle list does not apply to ambulances.
- **Age.** The Department of Health sets 19 for ambulance drivers. Verida reviews any EMS employee under 21 case by case.
- **Training.** Specialized driver courses your crews already passed may count toward the 32 hours, as Verida approves them.
- **Claims.** Ambulance trips are billed on the CMS-1500 with the starting and ending odometer readings. For a non-emergency ambulance ride, the ordering provider signs a letter of medical necessity.

Stretcher vans need a Department of Health invalid service license and a ground invalid vehicle permit before Verida will use them. See [stretcher van requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/stretcher-van-requirements/).

## Where Verida's Tennessee rules go past TennCare's floor

TennCare's contract sets minimums for every broker's network. Verida's manual raises several of them, as of the October 2026 edition:

| Rule | TennCare contract | Verida in Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Driver age | 18 | 21 |
| CPR | Not on TennCare's list | Required |
| Random drug and alcohol tests | 20 percent of drivers a year, reported to TennCare every quarter | 20 percent a year and at least 5 percent in each quarter |
| Auto liability | $1,000,000 per occurrence for owned, leased, hired, and non-owned vehicles | $1,000,000 written for "any auto" (symbol 1), never a schedule of vehicles |
| General liability | $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate | $1,000,000 per person and $2,000,000 per occurrence, occurrence form, plus $1,000,000 property damage |
| Exclusions | No rule in the NEMT section | No exclusion for sexual abuse and molestation, assault and battery, or punitive damages |
| Insurer | No rule in the NEMT section | Licensed in Tennessee, rated A- and Class IX or better. Verida may accept a carrier down to B, on a provisional basis. |
| Vehicles | No rule in the NEMT section | Only vehicles you own or lease, with no trips passed to another company |

Your certificate must name the state agency as certificate holder and promise 60 days' notice of cancellation or nonrenewal. Hand the table to your agent before you buy a policy. See [NEMT insurance requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-insurance-requirements/).

After you sign, BlueCare's manual lets Verida suspend your trip authorizations when these records are missing: pre-service and in-service driver training, driver performance evaluations, background and license checks, vehicle mechanical safety and maintenance records, a valid liability insurance certificate, your business or EMS license, a monthly driver roster, a monthly vehicle list, and driver logs. Each month Verida pulls a report of driver documents that expire within 30 days. A renewal still missing on the expiration date brings a 10-day cure letter, and after that the driver is disqualified.

## How Verida grades Tennessee companies

Verida's Tennessee manual sets these standards for every company in the network:

| Measure | Standard |
|---|---|
| Right level of service | 100 percent of trips |
| First pickup | Within 10 minutes of the scheduled time |
| Drop-off | Within 10 minutes of the scheduled time |
| Return pickup | Within 60 minutes of the call |
| Shared rides | No more than 1 hour longer than a direct trip |
| Vehicle health and safety rules | 100 percent |
| Driver appearance and conduct | 100 percent |
| Provider no-shows | Under 1 percent |
| Grievance rate | Under 0.1 percent |

Verida's system compares scheduled times with the times your drivers record, and each month it sends BlueCare a report of missed pickups, late pickups and drop-offs, missed appointments, and average lateness. A company below TennCare's on-time standard gets a notice and writes a [corrective action plan](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/corrective-action-plan/). Repeat problems bring a "coach and counsel" meeting, then fewer trips until the numbers recover. A company that does not send or follow its plan may be removed from the network, and Verida may also assess [liquidated damages](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-penalties/).

Verida's compliance officers watch in the field, at random and without notice, and may ride in your vehicle for long stretches. A vehicle that fails a spot inspection comes out of service and gets 10 days to be fixed and inspected again, and a repeat offender gets a cease and desist letter warning of termination. A driver with more than two conduct violations is out of the network. Verida keeps a report card file on each company, meets with its providers every quarter, and runs pre- and post-trip audits that may include calls to the rider's doctor. See [broker scorecards](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-scorecards/) and [improving on-time performance](https://nemtguide.com/guides/improve-nemt-on-time-performance/).

### Grievances that name your company

BlueCare handles rider grievances, and Verida's Quality/Compliance Manager handles complaints from transportation companies, doctors, and facilities. When a grievance names your company, Verida faxes you its Grievance Procedure Form, and you have 24 hours to answer in writing. Verida must close each grievance within three business days and sends BlueCare a summary every month.

A company with too many grievances gets a 10-day written cure notice and a corrective action plan, and the driver or vehicle involved comes out of service until the problem is fixed. Verida sorts grievances into 13 categories, among them late or early service, a trip that ran too long, an improper wheelchair tie-down, a dirty vehicle, and a heat or air conditioning problem. Log each one with the [complaint log](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-complaint-log/), and see [broker rider complaints](https://nemtguide.com/guides/broker-rider-complaints/).

## How Verida sends and records Tennessee trips

Verida assigns each trip by the rider's needs, including the city bus and multi-passenger vehicles where they fit. TennCare's provider FAQ says riders cannot pick their company. Verida may still honor a request to have or to avoid a certain company or driver, and a rider who refuses the assigned company may be offered [mileage reimbursement](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/mileage-reimbursement/) instead.

Manifests come by fax or secure email, whichever you choose, usually two days ahead. The [BlueCare transportation page](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/bluecare-tennessee/) covers the 12:30 p.m. cutoff to reject a trip and the 24-hour notice rule. These trip rules come from Verida's manual:

- **Times.** Each pickup and appointment time is given in the time zone of that address, and each manifest lists the estimated trip miles and whether the rider has Medicare or other coverage.
- **Tablet forms.** Drivers use four forms in Verida's app on a Verida-issued iPad: a driver and vehicle sign-in and a sign-off, once a shift, and a pickup log and a drop-off log for every leg. Entries count only at the time and place they happen, and everything must be sent before the driver logs out.
- **Signatures.** The rider, a representative, or the health care professional signs on the screen, never the driver. If they refuse, the driver records who refused and any reason given.
- **Vehicle number.** Each vehicle carries the decal number Verida assigns at inspection, still labeled the SETI decal number on its forms, and each trip records it with the plate number and the last four digits of the VIN.
- **Special rates.** An on-demand trip Verida pays at a special rate needs its written authorization, with the rate and the name of the person who approved it.
- **Standing orders.** Tell Verida about any standing order trip you move for weather or a holiday that it does not already know about.

A driver may refuse a rider or escort who is armed, intoxicated, disorderly, or carrying illegal drugs, and must call your dispatcher at once. You tell Verida, and Verida tells BlueCare, which sends the rider notice of appeal rights. See [difficult passengers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/difficult-nemt-passengers/).

## How Verida pays Tennessee claims

Your rate is set in your Verida agreement, which covers pay for [no-shows](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/no-show/) and escorts. Verida's policy is to pay within 30 days of a clean claim, on a payment schedule it publishes every quarter. It offers direct deposit by wire or electronic funds transfer, with an itemized remittance. An authorized person at your company certifies each claim in Verida's web portal, which time stamps it as received. You bill Verida, never BlueCare: Verida turns your trip records into HCPCS A-codes and reports them to BlueCare.

The manual's claim rules, October 2026 edition:

| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Filing deadline | 120 calendar days from the date of service |
| Retroactive eligibility, or you could not have known the rider's plan | The 120 days start when you, Verida, or BlueCare learn of it |
| Claim returned with errors | Fix and send it again within 30 calendar days of the notice |
| Tablet trip denied for time or location | Claims Denial/Dispute form within 10 days |
| Monthly fixed fee agreement, with no claims | Paid by the agreement's date, the 10th of the month, or within 5 days of Verida receiving BlueCare's payment |
| Any other dispute | In writing to the Reconciliation Manager in the Atlanta office, with the confirmation numbers, answered within 14 days |

If that answer does not settle it, ask for review by Verida's Director of Operations or Chief Operations Officer, and after that, the Department of Commerce and Insurance's outside review for denied TennCare claims, covered in the [state guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/tennessee/). Paper trip forms, used only when you have no Verida tablet or when yours fails and Verida approves paper, go weekly, bundled by date, to Verida at 843 Dallas Highway, Villa Rica, Georgia 30180. Keep the records behind each invoice for five years after your agreement ends. See the [timely filing limit](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/timely-filing-limit/) and [how to bill NEMT brokers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-bill-nemt-brokers/).

## Who to call at Verida in Tennessee

As of September 2026:

| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Tennessee providers | 1-855-735-1020 |
| Claims | 678-510-4600, option 2 |
| Chattanooga office | 423-893-8282, fax 423-893-8225 |
| Provider and facility relations | Heath Williams, hwilliams@verida.com, 423-326-6331. Kevin Reeves, wreeves@verida.com. |
| Tennessee Operations Director | Bill Carmack, bcarmack@verida.com |
| Trip requests by fax | 423-370-1422 |
| Portal sign-in | provider.verida.com |
| BlueCare ride concerns | BlueCare_NEMT_Transportation@bcbst.com |
| TennCare ride concerns | TennCare.NEMT.Support@tn.gov |

Riders book at 1-855-735-4660 (BlueCare), 1-866-473-7565 (TennCare Select), or 1-855-681-5032 (BlueCare Plus). Where's My Ride is option 3 on 1-866-473-7565, and Spanish is option 9.

## What to do first

1. **Confirm your TennCare Medicaid ID** is active, or finish registration first.
2. **Email a provider relations manager** with the counties you serve and your ambulatory, wheelchair, and stretcher counts, and ask where Verida is short.
3. **Get an insurance quote to Verida's wording:** "any auto," occurrence form, no sexual abuse exclusion, and 60 days' notice.
4. **Build driver files to Verida's list:** age 21, CPR, a defensive driving course Verida accepts, and a random drug testing pool that reaches 5 percent of drivers each quarter. The [driver file checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-driver-file-checklist/) helps.
5. **Set up a dedicated phone line and fax line** for Verida, and pick fax or secure email for manifests.
6. **Apply to Tennessee Carriers too** if you want UnitedHealthcare and Wellpoint riders. See [working with more than one broker](https://nemtguide.com/guides/multiple-nemt-brokers/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is Verida's phone number in Tennessee?

As of September 2026, transportation companies call Verida's Tennessee provider line at 1-855-735-1020 and its claims line at 678-510-4600, option 2. The Chattanooga office is 423-893-8282. Riders book at 1-855-735-4660 for BlueCare, 1-866-473-7565 for TennCare Select, and 1-855-681-5032 for BlueCare Plus, and Where's My Ride is option 3 on the TennCare Select line.

### Where is Verida's office in Tennessee?

Verida's Tennessee call center is in Chattanooga, at Eastgate Town Center, 5600 Brainerd Road, Suite H-100, Chattanooga, TN 37411. BlueCare's October 2026 manual says it is staffed from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, in the time zone of the region served, with dispatchers after hours for urgent trips. Verida's Atlanta call center is the backup, and paper claims go to the corporate office in Villa Rica, Georgia.

### Does Verida book UnitedHealthcare and Wellpoint rides in Tennessee?

No. As of September 2026, TennCare lists Verida for BlueCare and TennCare Select, and Tennessee Carriers for UnitedHealthcare Community Plan and Wellpoint. Each broker signs its own agreements, so a company that wants every TennCare rider in its county applies to both. A rider who changes health plans also changes brokers.

### How old do drivers have to be to drive for Verida in Tennessee?

At least 21. TennCare's contract allows drivers as young as 18, but the Verida provider manual in BlueCare's October 2026 edition sets 21 for its network. Verida reviews ambulance service employees under 21 one at a time, after checking their driving record. Every driver also needs a Class D license with the F endorsement or a CDL.

### How does Verida decide which company gets a Tennessee trip?

Verida assigns each trip to the most appropriate company for the rider's needs, and may use a city bus or a multi-passenger vehicle. TennCare says riders cannot pick their company, which is chosen by availability, need, and cost. Verida may still honor a rider's request to have, or not have, a certain company or driver, and it can cut a company's trips while its on-time record is below standard.

### What changes for Verida riders in Tennessee in 2027?

By January 1, 2027, people with full Medicare and TennCare benefits who want a Medicare special needs plan must have it with the same company as their TennCare plan. Some of your dual riders may move into BlueCare and Verida, and others may leave for Tennessee Carriers. TennCare's current health plan contract also runs through December 31, 2026, so check its ride page again in January.

## Official resources

- [Verida: Tennessee transportation providers](https://verida.com/tennessee-providers/)
- [Verida: Request for Qualifications form](https://verida.com/provider-request-for-qualifications-form/)
- [Verida: Transportation Provider Portal sign-in](https://provider.verida.com/)
- [Verida: Facility portal for discharges and appointments](https://facility.verida.com/)
- [BlueCare Tennessee: Provider Administration Manual (Verida NEMT provider manual in Attachment I)](https://www.bcbst.com/providers/manuals/BCT_PAM.pdf)
- [TennCare: NEMT benefit for providers and broker contacts](https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/providers/tenncare-provider-news-notices-forms/tenncare-s-non-emergency-medical-transportation-benefit--nemt-.html)
- [TennCare: How to Schedule a Ride (ride lines by health plan)](https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tenncare/documents/NEMTHowToScheduleARide.pdf)
- [TennCare: D-SNP changes effective January 2027](https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/long-term-services-supports/dual-eligible-special-needs-plan--d-snp-.html)