# Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Transportation: The Move to MTM Health and How to Keep the Trips

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/blue-cross-blue-shield-texas-medicaid/ · Updated 2026-09-30

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas Medicaid transportation moves from Modivcare to MTM Health on October 1, 2026. STAR and STAR Kids members around Austin and in rural Central Texas book free rides with MTM at least two business days ahead, at 877-831-3148 per the plan's notices or in the MTM Link Member app. Booked and recurring trips carry over, so companies need MTM's network to keep them.

- From October 1, 2026, only MTM Health's network carries this plan's Medicaid riders, and Modivcare's part ends on September 30.
- Standing rides move to MTM with the bookings, so a Modivcare company outside MTM's network loses its regulars on October 1.
- The plan's members live around Austin, plus STAR Kids members in 31 rural Central Texas counties.
- In Travis STAR, the plan and Dell Children's use MTM while Superior uses SafeRide, so Austin-area companies need both.
- Extra rides the plan pays for need its prior approval, and it may send them to rideshare or transit instead of a van.

## Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (Medicaid and CHIP) rides at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Ride vendor | MTM Health from October 1, 2026, as the only NEMT provider for the plan's Medicaid members. Modivcare arranges the rides through September 30, 2026. |
| Ride line from October 1 | 877-831-3148 in the plan's provider notices. Its September 2026 handbooks print 1-866-824-1565 (TTY 711) under MTM's name. |
| Booking online | The MTM Link Member app, or an account on MTM Health's website |
| Trips already booked | Recurring trips and trips booked for dates after October 1 move to MTM, with nothing for members to do |
| Who rides | STAR and STAR Kids members with no other way to reach a Medicaid service. CHIP members get rides only as an extra benefit. |
| Where members are | STAR and CHIP in the Travis service area. STAR Kids in Travis and the Central Texas rural area (MRSA Central). As of September 2026. |
| Size | About 48,000 Medicaid members and 3,700 CHIP members in HHSC's preliminary count for May 2026 |
| Distant providers | A ride to a provider more than 75 miles away, or outside the plan's network, needs the plan's special authorization |
| How to get the trips | Enroll in Texas Medicaid through TMHP, then apply to MTM Health with a valid NPI |

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, a division of Health Care Service Corporation, had about 52,000 Texas Medicaid and CHIP members in HHSC's preliminary count for May 2026, more than nine in ten of them in the eight counties around Austin. On October 1, 2026 its Medicaid rides move from Modivcare to MTM Health. On September 30 it is the only plan on HHSC's ride vendor list still shown with ModivCare. The [Texas guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/texas/) explains how Texas plans hire ride vendors, and [MTM Health in Texas](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/mtm-health/texas/) covers MTM's other Texas plans and its trip rules.

## What changes on October 1, 2026

The plan told providers about the switch on June 29, 2026 and again on August 26, 2026. MTM Health becomes the sole NEMT provider for its members with Medicaid coverage. From October 1:

- Members ask MTM for rides by calling 877-831-3148, through an account on MTM's website, or in the MTM Link Member app.
- MTM carries out recurring trips and trips already booked for dates after October 1. Members do not have to rebook.
- Changes to a ride after October 1 go to MTM, and the plan said it would mail eligible members a letter that tells them how to reach it.

The plan's STAR, STAR Kids, and CHIP handbooks, each effective September 2026, already name MTM as the vendor for covered rides and for the plan's extra rides. They print 1-866-824-1565 (TTY 711) as MTM's reservation and Where's My Ride line, with agents available 24 hours a day. That is the number the plan's own ride pages and HHSC's list give for Modivcare on September 30, 2026. When an Austin clinic asks which number to hand a patient after the switch, point it to the one in the member's letter.

### If you drive this plan's riders for Modivcare

This plan's Medicaid trips stop coming through Modivcare after September 30, 2026. Its standing rides move to MTM along with the bookings, so a company outside MTM's network loses those regular riders on October 1. File your last Modivcare claims for the plan's September trips, and use the [broker transition checklist](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-transition/) and [leaving a NEMT broker](https://nemtguide.com/guides/leave-a-nemt-broker/) to close out cleanly.

The notices speak only of Medicaid members. On September 30, 2026, Modivcare's Texas facility page still lists its own booking lines for Blue Cross Blue Shield HCSC Medicare members and HCSC group retirees. So a Modivcare agreement may still bring you the insurer's Medicare riders after October 1. Ask your Modivcare representative which Blue Cross programs remain in your contract, and see [Medicare Advantage transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/medicare-advantage-transportation/) and the [Modivcare guide](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/modivcare/).

## Where the plan's riders live

HHSC's September 2026 map puts the plan in two service areas. The member counts come from HHSC's preliminary enrollment file for May 2026.

| Program | Service area | Plan members, May 2026 | Other plans in that program and their ride vendors |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAR | Travis: Bastrop, Burnet, Caldwell, Fayette, Hays, Lee, Travis, and Williamson counties | About 41,000 | Dell Children's (MTM), Superior (SafeRide) |
| STAR Kids | Travis | About 3,100 | Superior (SafeRide) |
| STAR Kids | MRSA Central: 31 rural counties, including Bell, Brazos, Coryell, McLennan, and Washington | About 4,400 | UnitedHealthcare (SafeRide) |
| CHIP | Travis | About 3,700, including about 760 CHIP Perinate members | Dell Children's (MTM), Superior (SafeRide) |

From October 1, Travis STAR splits between the two vendors. In the May count, this plan and Dell Children's together had about 71,000 of the area's 155,000 STAR members, and both book through MTM. Superior's 84,000 ride with SafeRide. A company in Travis, Williamson, or Hays County needs both contracts to reach every STAR rider there. In rural Central Texas STAR Kids, this plan is the one MTM plan, and UnitedHealthcare uses SafeRide. See [Superior HealthPlan's ride benefit](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/superior-healthplan-texas/) and [working with several brokers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/multiple-nemt-brokers/).

## How the plan's rides work

STAR and STAR Kids members ride free when they have no other way to reach a covered service. CHIP members do not have NEMT as a covered benefit, so they ride only through the plan's value-added program below. These rules come from the plan's ride pages as of September 30, 2026 and its September 2026 handbooks:

| Rule | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas |
|---|---|
| Notice | At least two business days. Less for pickups after a hospital discharge, pharmacy trips, and urgent conditions. |
| Distant or out-of-network providers | A ride to a provider more than 75 miles away, or outside the plan's network, needs the plan's special authorization |
| Who may book | Adult members, a minor member's parent, guardian, or legally authorized representative, service coordinators and advocates, and medical or behavioral health providers |
| Who may ride along | An adult member with one child, a preapproved attendant, a service animal, and a minor member with a parent or a representative the parent approved in writing |
| Car seats | The parent has the seat ready before pickup |
| Shared rides | May add no more than 45 minutes to the trip |
| Cancellations | At least one hour before pickup |

The distance, booking, ride-along, car seat, shared ride, and cancellation rules come from ride pages that still name Modivcare, so confirm them with MTM once your agreement is signed. A single caregiver with more than one minor child can ask the plan's Customer Advocate Department to approve the extra children as a value-added ride. The plan must approve any caregiver or other child when the ride is booked, so check the trip record before extra riders board. More on this in [children in NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/children-in-nemt/).

## Extra rides the plan pays for

The plan's value-added rides are open to STAR, STAR Kids, and CHIP members, and its September 2026 handbooks name MTM as the vendor for them as well:

- **Where they go.** Plan events and meetings, approved health classes, WIC visits, and covered doctor, therapy, or pharmacy visits where a parent must bring more than one child.
- **Approval.** Every value-added ride needs the plan's [prior authorization](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/prior-authorization/). Rides in the service area under 75 miles need two business days of notice, and less notice is approved case by case.
- **Long trips.** Trips out of the area or out of state need at least 48 hours' notice and the plan's approval, and trips over 75 miles with meals or lodging need five business days. CHIP Perinate members cannot use the over-75-mile rides or the meals and lodging.
- **Vehicle choice.** The STAR and STAR Kids handbooks let the plan pick the mode for each ride: rideshare, bus, train or other transit, van, taxi, or another car service.

HHSC's charts list these rides too: the same 75-mile split on the Travis STAR and CHIP charts dated September 1, 2026, and the same destinations on the STAR Kids charts for Travis (October 1, 2025) and MRSA Central (September 1, 2025). These trips reach you through MTM like any other, but because the plan chooses the vehicle, some of them may go to transit or rideshare instead of a van.

## How to get the plan's trips

After September 30, 2026, MTM's Texas network is the only route to this plan's Medicaid and CHIP riders.

1. **Enroll in Texas Medicaid through TMHP.** Section 2200 of the state's NEMT Services Handbook makes a plan's ride subcontractor confirm that enrollment before signing a company. Use TMHP's PEMS portal, and call the TMHP Contact Center at 800-925-9126 with questions.
2. **Apply to MTM with a valid NPI.** MTM's application has a Texas rule that voids an applicant without one.
3. **Work through MTM's phases.** Its Texas provider page lists application, credentialing, and contracting, each with a designated representative. Insurance terms are set during credentialing, rates are set one provider at a time, and MTM pays nothing for member no-shows.
4. **Name your counties.** Tell your representative whether you cover the Travis area, the Central Texas rural counties, or both, and ask where this plan's riders need more capacity after October 1.

The state's own fee-for-service program pays a flat rate per one-way leg by county type, which gives you a number to hold MTM's offer against: see [Texas's MTP rate update](https://nemtguide.com/news/texas-mtp-rate-update/) and [contracting with Medicaid health plans](https://nemtguide.com/guides/contract-with-medicaid-health-plans/).

## Who to call

| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Member rides from October 1, 2026 | MTM Health, 877-831-3148, in the plan's provider notices. The September 2026 handbooks print 1-866-824-1565 (TTY 711). |
| Member rides through September 30, 2026 | Modivcare: covered STAR and STAR Kids rides 1-866-824-1565, value-added rides for all members, including CHIP, 1-855-933-6993 |
| Family and friend mileage claims | MTM Health ITP Claims, TXPayee@mtm-inc.net, fax 1-844-239-5971 |
| Customer Advocate Department | STAR and CHIP 1-888-657-6061. STAR Kids 1-877-688-1811. |
| MTM Texas program director | ehowarth@mtm-inc.net |
| Texas Medicaid enrollment | TMHP Contact Center, 800-925-9126 |

## What to do first

1. **If you carry this plan's riders for Modivcare, apply to MTM now** and bill your September trips before you lose track of them.
2. **Start or confirm your TMHP enrollment,** with your NPI ready for both TMHP and MTM.
3. **Check which program your counties hold:** STAR and CHIP in the Travis area, or STAR Kids in both areas.
4. **Update your facility sheets** so Austin-area clinics use the MTM number from the member's letter.
5. **Apply to SafeRide Health too** if you work around Austin or in rural Central Texas, for Superior and UnitedHealthcare riders.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas cover medical transportation?

For its Texas Medicaid members, yes. STAR and STAR Kids members with no other way to get to care ride free to doctor, dentist, pharmacy, and urgent care visits. CHIP members do not have Medicaid ride coverage, but the plan gives them value-added rides to approved visits, WIC, health classes, and plan events. Every value-added ride needs the plan's approval first.

### What is the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas transportation phone number?

From October 1, 2026, the plan's provider notices send members to MTM Health at 877-831-3148, to MTM's website, or to the MTM Link Member app. The plan's September 2026 handbooks print 1-866-824-1565 under MTM's name, so check the letter the plan mails each member. Through September 30, Modivcare took covered STAR and STAR Kids rides at 1-866-824-1565 and value-added rides, including every CHIP ride, at 1-855-933-6993.

### Is Modivcare still the ride company for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas?

Only until September 30, 2026. The plan's notices of June 29 and August 26, 2026 say MTM Health becomes the sole NEMT provider for its Medicaid members on October 1, 2026, and that MTM carries out recurring trips and trips already booked after that date. On September 30, HHSC's list still shows the plan with ModivCare, and it is the only plan on that list with ModivCare.

### How do I become a transportation provider for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas Medicaid?

Join MTM Health's Texas network, because MTM arranges the plan's Medicaid rides from October 1, 2026. Enroll your company in Texas Medicaid through TMHP's PEMS portal first, since MTM must confirm that enrollment before it signs you. MTM's application voids a Texas applicant without a valid NPI, and its Texas page describes application, credentialing, and contracting phases, each with a designated representative.

### Can a parent bring more than one child on a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas ride?

On a Medicaid ride, the plan's pages allow an adult member with one child. A single caregiver with more than one minor child can ask the plan's Customer Advocate Department to approve the extra children as a value-added ride, and the plan must approve any caregiver or other child when the ride is booked. A child who needs a car seat must have it ready before pickup.

### Does the switch to MTM change Blue Cross Medicare rides?

The notices cover the plan's Medicaid members. On September 30, 2026, Modivcare's Texas facility page still lists its own booking lines for Blue Cross Blue Shield HCSC Medicare members and HCSC group retirees. If you drive for Modivcare, ask your representative which Blue Cross programs stay in your agreement after October 1.

## Official resources

- [Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas: New medical transportation provider notice (August 26, 2026)](https://www.bcbstx.com/provider/education/education/news/2026/8-26-2026-new-medical-transportation-provider-for-medicaid-members)
- [Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas: Extra Help Getting a Ride for members](https://www.bcbstx.com/medicaid/benefits-and-coverage/value-added-services/extra-help-getting-a-ride)
- [MTM Health: Texas transportation providers page](https://www.mtm-inc.net/texas/transportation-providers/)
- [MTM Health: Join the transportation provider network](https://www.mtm-inc.net/driverswanted/)
- [Texas HHSC: Which plans serve each service area (PDF map)](https://www.hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/services/health/medicaid-chip/programs/managed-care-service-areas-map.pdf)
- [TMHP: Enroll in Texas Medicaid through PEMS](https://www.tmhp.com/programs/mtp)