# CountyCare Transportation: How Modivcare Books Cook County Rides and Transit Passes

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/countycare-illinois/ · Updated 2026-09-30

CountyCare, the Medicaid plan Cook County Health runs, books its rides through Modivcare. Members call 312-864-8200 or 855-444-1661, or use the Modivcare app, at least 72 hours before the visit, and call 888-652-8500 when a driver runs late. To drive CountyCare members, enroll with Illinois Medicaid in IMPACT and join Modivcare's network, which has run these trips since August 1, 2024.

- Modivcare has booked CountyCare rides since August 1, 2024, and HFS still lists it as CountyCare's ride vendor for October 2026.
- CountyCare is the largest plan in Cook County, with 376,740 members in August 2026, about 35 percent of the county's plan members.
- From October 1, 2026, Modivcare's two plans hold about 44 percent of Cook County plan members, and MTM Health's four plans hold the rest.
- CountyCare drivers wait 5 minutes past pickup, and members are told to call the late line once a driver is more than 10 minutes late.
- Clinics set up repeat trips, such as dialysis, on the Modivcare standing order form that CountyCare links for providers.

## CountyCare Health Plan rides at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Ride broker | Modivcare since August 1, 2024, replacing First Transit. HFS still names ModivCare for CountyCare on its October 2026 subcontractor list. |
| Where it serves | Cook County only. Cook County Health operates the plan under a county contract with HFS. |
| Member ride line | 312-864-8200 or 855-444-1661 (TTY 711), the Modivcare app, or mymodivcare.com. Reservations Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekends 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central (brochure, August 2025). |
| Late ride line | Where's My Ride, 888-652-8500, when the driver is more than 10 minutes late (benefits page, September 2026) |
| Booking notice | At least 72 hours (3 days) before the visit on CountyCare's benefits page. Modivcare's brochure says 3 business days, and no more than 60 days ahead. |
| Driver wait at pickup | 5 minutes past the scheduled pickup. Members are told to be ready 15 minutes early (brochure, August 2025). |
| Pickup address | Rides go only to and from the member's address on record with CountyCare |
| Transit passes | Ventra passes, requested from Member Services two weeks ahead and mailed once the doctor's office confirms the visit |
| Members | 376,740 in August 2026, all in Cook County, about 35 percent of the county's HealthChoice Illinois members and more than any other plan there |
| Trip claims | CountyCare c/o Modivcare, 798 Park Ave. NW, Norton, VA 24273, fax 866-528-0462 (provider manual, September 8, 2026) |

CountyCare is the Medicaid health plan that Cook County Health operates, and it takes members from Cook County only. Every CountyCare car and van ride is arranged by Modivcare. For a small company in Chicago or suburban Cook, that makes a Modivcare contract the one way into the county's largest plan.

## Who books CountyCare rides

CountyCare told providers on July 2, 2024 that Modivcare would become its transportation vendor on August 1, 2024, with no change in the benefit and a bigger network. The Illinois health plans' billing manual of 2023 listed First Transit in that role before. HFS's subcontractor list for October 2026 still shows ModivCare for CountyCare, the same month Blue Cross Community Health Plans leaves Modivcare for MTM Health. If CountyCare ever switches again, the checklist for [when a broker changes](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-transition/) covers what to line up.

Members do not dial a separate broker number. They book on CountyCare's Member Services numbers, which Modivcare's CountyCare brochure also gives as its reservation line. CountyCare's 2024 notice lets medical offices book on the same line.

| What you need | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Book or change a ride | 312-864-8200 or 855-444-1661 (TTY 711), the Modivcare app, or mymodivcare.com |
| Reservation hours | Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central |
| Driver running late | Where's My Ride, 888-652-8500 |
| Ventra transit passes | Member Services, two weeks before the visit |
| Facility bookings | Modivcare's Illinois facility page lists 855-444-1661 for CountyCare |
| Non-emergency ambulance | Transdev, 877-725-0569, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |

A member, a relative, a caregiver, or medical facility staff may call. The caller gives the member ID, the name and address of the provider, and the appointment day and time. Modivcare then picks the ride from the member's health and mobility: a private transportation company, a fixed-route bus or other public transit, or gas mileage paid to a driver the member knows.

## What CountyCare members can ride to

As of September 30, 2026, CountyCare's benefits page covers rides to scheduled medical, behavioral health, dental, and eye appointments. It adds pharmacies, medical equipment providers, some CountyCare events, and WIC food assistance sites. The 2024 notice says each trip must be medically necessary and names counseling and dialysis as examples. Dialysis is also the first treatment type on the standing order form clinics use for repeat CountyCare trips, and [dialysis transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/dialysis-transportation/) covers how to run that work.

Two parts of the benefit keep some riders out of your van:

- **Transit passes.** Members ask for Ventra passes two weeks ahead, and CountyCare mails them once the doctor's office confirms the visit. The 2026 member handbook names Ventra and Pace passes.
- **Gas money.** A relative or friend who drives the member can be paid for the miles. The trip is booked first to get a trip ID, the doctor or clinician signs the form at the visit, each form covers one driver, and the driver cannot be the member. Modivcare's 2024 mileage instructions ask for the form within 30 days and pay within 30 business days. See [mileage reimbursement](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/mileage-reimbursement/).

CountyCare also runs a Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) plan for [dual eligible](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/dual-eligible/) members who live in a nursing facility or get waiver services. Its provider manual of September 8, 2026 sends claims for their non-emergency rides to the MLTSS plan, not to Medicare. The 2026 MLTSS handbook asks for three days' notice and lets a family member or personal care attendant ride along at no cost.

## CountyCare rules your drivers work under

Modivcare's CountyCare brochure of August 13, 2025 and CountyCare's benefits page, as of September 2026, give members these rules.

| Rule | What members are told |
|---|---|
| Booking notice | At least 72 hours (3 days) on the benefits page. The brochure says 3 business days, and no more than 60 days out. |
| Pickup time | Modivcare sets it from how long the drive to the appointment takes. |
| Ready time | Be ready at least 15 minutes before the scheduled pickup. |
| Driver wait | Drivers only have to wait 5 minutes past the scheduled pickup. |
| Late driver | Call 888-652-8500 once the driver is more than 10 minutes late. The brochure says 15 minutes. |
| Open return | With no set return time, the member tells Modivcare by chat or through Member Services. This is a [will-call trip](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/will-call-trip/). |
| Address | Rides go only to and from the member's address on record with CountyCare. |

Because CountyCare members are told to call Where's My Ride at the 10-minute mark, a driver running behind should tell dispatch before then. Whether a member who misses the 5-minute wait counts as a [no-show](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/no-show/) is set by your Modivcare agreement.

## Where CountyCare riders are

HFS's enrollment report dated September 2, 2026 counted 376,740 CountyCare members in August 2026, all in Cook County. That is about 35 percent of Cook's 1,062,595 HealthChoice Illinois members, more than any other plan there. From October 1, 2026, the county's plan riders split between two brokers:

| Plan | Cook County members, August 2026 | Ride broker from October 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| CountyCare | 376,740 | Modivcare |
| Blue Cross Community Health Plans | 304,676 | MTM Health |
| Meridian | 210,104 | MTM Health |
| Aetna Better Health of Illinois | 92,752 | Modivcare |
| Molina Healthcare | 70,032 | MTM Health |
| YouthCare | 8,291 | MTM Health |

Modivcare's two plans hold 469,492 Cook County members, about 44 percent. MTM's four hold the other 56 percent. A Cook County company with only a Modivcare contract keeps CountyCare and Aetna riders but stops getting Blue Cross riders after September 30, 2026. See [Blue Cross Community Health Plans transportation](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/blue-cross-community-health-plans-illinois/), [Meridian Illinois transportation](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/meridian-illinois/), and [running trips for more than one broker](https://nemtguide.com/guides/multiple-nemt-brokers/).

HFS awarded CountyCare a new HealthChoice Illinois contract, for Cook County only, on June 8, 2026. The first term runs 4.5 years, with up to 5.5 more on renewal. Humana joins HealthChoice Illinois on January 1, 2027, so check the county's broker split again after that date.

## How to get CountyCare trips

Modivcare arranges CountyCare's car and van rides and receives their claims, so the contract you need is with Modivcare.

1. **Enroll in IMPACT.** The HFS transportation handbook of March 11, 2024 requires plan and fee-for-service transportation providers alike to enroll. The [Illinois guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/illinois/) covers the fingerprints, site visit, and vehicle plates.
2. **Check Chicago's city license.** Chicago licenses medical carrier vehicles through its Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, for a July 1 to June 30 term. See NEMT in Chicago for the city steps.
3. **Apply to Modivcare.** Its provider page asks for drivers with PASS wheelchair training, first aid and CPR, defensive driving, a drug screen, a clean driving record, and a background check. Name the Cook County areas you serve and ask for CountyCare and Aetna trips. See [how to become a Modivcare provider](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/modivcare/) and [Modivcare in Illinois](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/modivcare/illinois/).
4. **Win standing orders from clinics.** CountyCare's provider page links a Standing Prior Approval form, which is Modivcare's Illinois standing order form. The clinic lists the days, times, start and end dates, level of service, and treatment type (dialysis, substance use, mental health, or adult day care), a physician signs, and it goes to fax 877-272-3629. Dialysis units and treatment programs near you are the ones to visit. See [NEMT standing orders](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-standing-orders/).
5. **Keep the medical forms.** The HFS transportation handbook applies these to health plan members too: wheelchair van and service car trips that start at a hospital or nursing facility need an HFS 2270 Physician Certification Statement, and those that start at home need an HFS 2271 Certificate of Transportation Services. Private auto trips need neither. CountyCare links both forms on its provider page.
6. **Bill Modivcare.** The September 8, 2026 provider manual sends CountyCare's non-ambulance trip claims to CountyCare c/o Modivcare, 798 Park Ave. NW, Norton, VA 24273, by fax to 866-528-0462, or by email to support.claims@modivcare.com. Modivcare's claims helpline is 800-930-9060.

Your Modivcare agreement sets what each CountyCare trip pays. HFS's fee-for-service rates for Cook County, in the Illinois guide, are the numbers to compare an offer against. See [negotiating broker rates](https://nemtguide.com/guides/negotiate-nemt-broker-rates/).

## Ambulance trips for CountyCare members

Since January 1, 2022, CountyCare members who need a non-emergency ambulance call Transdev, HFS's prior approval vendor, at 877-725-0569 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the ambulance company bills HFS instead of CountyCare. CountyCare's 2026 member handbook keeps medicar, service car, taxi, and private auto trips with the plan, so every CountyCare wheelchair van and car ride still comes through Modivcare. See [Transdev Health Solutions](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/transdev-health-solutions/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the CountyCare transportation phone number?

Members book rides through CountyCare Member Services at 312-864-8200, or 855-444-1661 toll free (TTY 711). Modivcare takes reservations Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central. If a driver is more than 10 minutes late, call Where's My Ride at 888-652-8500. For a non-emergency ambulance, call Transdev at 877-725-0569.

### How far in advance do I schedule CountyCare transportation?

CountyCare's benefits page asks for at least 72 hours (3 days) before the appointment. Modivcare's CountyCare brochure of August 13, 2025 says to call at least 3 business days ahead and no more than 60 days before the appointment. Transit passes take longer: ask Member Services for Ventra passes two weeks before the visit.

### Is there a CountyCare transportation app?

Yes. CountyCare members book and manage rides in the Modivcare app, from Google Play or the Apple App Store, or on the web at mymodivcare.com. A first-time user selects Login, then I'm a new user, and enters a name, email, and phone number. The app shows ride status and lets the member track the driver.

### Does CountyCare give bus passes?

Yes. Members ask Member Services at 312-864-8200 for Ventra passes two weeks before the appointment, and CountyCare mails them after the doctor's office confirms the visit. CountyCare's 2026 member handbook names Ventra and Pace passes. Modivcare can also send a member by fixed-route bus when that fits the member's health and mobility.

### Does CountyCare pay mileage to a family member who drives?

Yes. A family member or friend who drives a member to a covered visit can be paid for the miles. Book the trip first to get a trip ID, fill in the form, and have the doctor or clinician sign it at the visit. Each form covers one driver, and the driver cannot be the member. Modivcare's instructions ask for the form within 30 days of the earliest appointment on it.

### How do I become a CountyCare transportation provider?

Enroll your company with Illinois Medicaid in IMPACT, then apply to Modivcare on its transportation provider page. Modivcare arranges CountyCare's car and van rides and processes their claims, so your contract is with Modivcare, not CountyCare. Ask to cover Cook County, where every CountyCare member lives. Chicago also licenses medical carrier vehicles, so read the city rules before you run trips there.

### What is the CountyCare transportation form for standing orders?

CountyCare's provider page links a Standing Prior Approval form, which is Modivcare's Illinois standing order form. A clinic fills in the days and times, start and end dates, level of service, and treatment type, such as dialysis or mental health, and a physician signs it. It goes to fax 877-272-3629. CountyCare also links the HFS 2270 and HFS 2271 medical forms.

## Official resources

- [Modivcare: Apply to join the transportation network](https://www.modivcare.com/transportation-providers-contact-us/)
- [CountyCare: Member transportation benefit](https://countycare.com/benefits/)
- [CountyCare: Provider forms, including the Standing Prior Approval form](https://countycare.com/providers/)
- [CountyCare: Provider manual, September 8, 2026](https://countycare.com/wp-content/uploads/CountyCare_Provider-Manual_Final_09.08.26.pdf)
- [Modivcare: Illinois facility resources and forms](https://www.modivcare.com/facilities/illinois/)
- [HFS: HealthChoice Illinois MCO subcontractor list](https://hfs.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/hfs/medicalclients/managedcare/healthchoiceilmcosclist.pdf)
- [HFS: IMPACT provider enrollment](https://hfs.illinois.gov/impact.html)