# Mercy Care Transportation: How Mercy Care Rides Work and How Your Company Gets Them

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/mercy-care-arizona/ · Updated 2026-09-30

Mercy Care members get free rides to AHCCCS-covered care by calling Member Services at 602-263-3000 or 1-800-624-3879 at least three days ahead, and in 2025 an NEMT broker's call center handled those ride requests for Mercy Care. To drive Mercy Care members, register with AHCCCS as provider type 28, then email a letter of interest and W-9 to Mercy Care Network Management.

- Mercy Care members book rides through Member Services, and in 2025 an NEMT broker's call center handled those ride requests.
- After AHCCCS registration, you join through Mercy Care Network Management with a letter of interest and a W-9, then credential on the AzAHP organization application.
- Every Mercy Care trip needs a trip report with odometer readings, times, and the member's signature or fingerprint, never the driver's.
- Mercy Care holds ride companies to 95 percent on-time trips each quarter, and a missed standard can bring a corrective action plan due in 15 business days.
- In 2025, AHCCCS made Mercy Care drop ride mileage limits and prior authorization that it had added without AHCCCS approval.

## Mercy Care rides at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Who books the ride | Member Services, 602-263-3000 or 1-800-624-3879 (TTY 711), weekdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Members with a serious mental illness call 602-586-1841 or 1-800-564-5465, 24 hours (2025-2026 handbook). |
| Who runs the ride line | An NEMT broker, whose phone menu and call center staff rules for Mercy Care rides changed in March 2025 (AHCCCS letter of September 16, 2025) |
| Counties | Complete Care: Maricopa, Gila, and Pinal (Pinal except ZIP codes 85542, 85192, and 85550). Long Term Care: Maricopa, Pima, Gila, and Pinal (AHCCCS list revised June 30, 2026). DD members: all 15 counties. |
| Members, September 2026 | 285,876 in Complete Care, 26,516 with a serious mental illness, and 7,118 in Long Term Care plus 921 with a serious mental illness (AHCCCS report dated September 10, 2026) |
| Booking notice | At least three days ahead (three business days in the Long Term Care handbook), under the 2025-2026 handbooks. Same-day urgent care: call at least three hours before the visit. |
| How to join | AHCCCS registration first, then a letter of interest and W-9 emailed to Network Management. Credentialing uses the AzAHP Organization-Facility Application (effective March 1, 2026). |
| Transportation contact | Network Management's transportation representative for Maricopa and Pima counties, 602-525-8689 (assignment lists revised June 2026) |
| On-time standard | Arrive no more than an hour early, pick up within an hour after care, and complete 95 percent of pickups and drop-offs on time each quarter |
| Before you are paid | A trip ticket or electronic pickup and drop-off data for every trip by provider types 28 and NT, or the claim is denied |
| Claim deadline | 150 days from the date of service for a first claim, and up to 12 months to correct one filed on time (claims manual, April 2026) |

Mercy Care had 285,876 Complete Care members in September 2026, every one of them in Maricopa, Gila, or Pinal County. It is also the Central region's plan for adults with a serious mental illness, with 26,516 more. Arizona Medicaid (AHCCCS) pays each health plan to arrange rides, and each plan buys them its own way. The statewide steps, from provider type 28 registration to the ADOT Vehicle for Hire permit, are in the [Arizona guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/arizona/).

## Who books Mercy Care rides

Members call Mercy Care Member Services at 602-263-3000 or 1-800-624-3879 (TTY 711), weekdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., under the 2025-2026 member handbook. Members with a serious mental illness call 602-586-1841 or 1-800-564-5465, which answers 24 hours a day. Doctors' offices and other providers can book a ride for a patient on the main line with Express Service Code 630, or on 800-564-5465 for ACC-RBHA members.

A few Mercy Care members reach you another way:

- **The ride home.** The handbook tells members to call "your transportation provider" after the appointment to arrange the ride home, so your dispatch line becomes a member line.
- **Nursing homes and assisted living.** Staff arrange the ride for Long Term Care members who live there, including an ambulance when needed.
- **Serious mental illness.** Behavioral health rides must be set up by the member's health home. Mercy Care's manual holds behavioral health providers that arrange or give rides to the same one-hour arrival and wait limits. See [behavioral health transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/behavioral-health-transportation/).
- **Non-Title 19 members.** They get rides only to behavioral health appointments.

### The broker behind the ride line

Mercy Care uses an NEMT broker. AHCCCS's letter of September 16, 2025 says that when Mercy Care had to drop its 2025 ride limits, it told "the NEMT broker" on March 21, 2025 to remove them, and the broker changed its phone menu messages and its call center staff instructions. Mercy Care itself credentials and contracts transportation companies through its Network Management department.

Veyo's help center for medical facilities, in phone lists last edited in 2020 and 2021, gives the Mercy Care, Mercy Care Advantage, and Mercy Care RBHA member lines as the numbers to call to book or change Arizona trips. Veyo has been part of [MTM Health](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/mtm-health/) since August 1, 2022. Before you plan staff around Mercy Care work, ask Network Management in writing which broker will send your trips and how.

## Mercy Care plans, counties, and members

Mercy Care runs several AHCCCS programs, and the counties differ by program:

| Mercy Care program | Who it covers | Counties | Members, September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete Care | Children and adults on AHCCCS | Maricopa, Gila, and Pinal (Pinal except ZIP codes 85542, 85192, and 85550) | 285,876 |
| ACC-RBHA | Adults with a serious mental illness in the Central region | Same as Complete Care | 26,516 |
| Long Term Care | ALTCS members who are elderly or physically disabled | Maricopa, Pima, Gila, and Pinal | 7,118, plus 921 with a serious mental illness |
| Mercy Care DD | Division of Developmental Disabilities members enrolled with Mercy Care | All 15 counties | Part of the 47,910 DDD members |
| DCS Comprehensive Health Plan | Children and youth in out-of-home care | Statewide | 6,225 |

Counties come from the AHCCCS plan list revised June 30, 2026, and member counts from the AHCCCS report dated September 10, 2026. Complete Care fell from 315,092 members in September 2025, a 10 percent drop in a year. Because of the DD and DCS programs, Mercy Care members live in every Arizona county, not only the Central region.

## Mercy Care ride rules your drivers will meet

- **Notice.** Members book at least three days ahead, and Long Term Care members three business days. For same-day urgent care, members call at least three hours before the visit. Members with standing appointments, such as dialysis, can book all of their rides in one call.
- **Timing.** Members arrive no sooner than one hour before the appointment, wait no more than one hour after treatment, and are never picked up before treatment ends.
- **Pharmacy trips.** In Maricopa and Pima counties, a pharmacy ride is covered only within 15 miles one way of the pickup. A compounding or specialty pharmacy farther away needs Mercy Care's authorization, and trips to an MSIC or an IHS or 638 facility are exempt.
- **Bus passes.** Where public transit runs, Mercy Care must offer it as an option, and it sends bus tickets or passes at no cost to members who can ride.
- **Wheelchair vans.** Mercy Care's manual requires an electronic lift, doors wide enough for loading, and restraints that secure wheelchairs in transit.

### The 2025 limits AHCCCS made Mercy Care drop

On February 10, 2025, Mercy Care told providers that non-emergency rides over 20 miles one way in Maricopa and Pima counties, or over 50 miles one way elsewhere, would need prior authorization, and that every ride needed three days' notice. After provider complaints, AHCCCS issued a Notice to Cure on March 21, 2025. It found that Mercy Care had not submitted the change for AHCCCS review and ordered it to rescind the NEMT prior authorization. AHCCCS released Mercy Care from the notice on September 16, 2025. Any new authorization rule for Mercy Care rides now needs AHCCCS review and approval first.

Starting October 1, 2026, AHCCCS Policy 310-BB lets a plan ask for no more than three calendar days of notice. The plan must allow exceptions such as dialysis, chemotherapy and radiation, hospital discharges, prenatal care, and urgent visits.

## How to become a Mercy Care transportation provider

Mercy Care contracts only with companies that already hold an AHCCCS ID, so register as provider type 28 first (see the [Arizona guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/arizona/)). Then:

1. **Write a letter of interest.** List your services, the counties you serve, your AHCCCS ID, your Medicare ID if you have one, the ages and groups you serve, and your appointment availability.
2. **Attach an IRS Form W-9.** Mercy Care's Our network page links to the blank form.
3. **Email both to Network Management** at the address under Who to call, below. A request missing anything must be sent again in full, with the W-9.
4. **Finish credentialing.** If Mercy Care approves your request, an onboarding specialist sends the credentialing form for your provider type. For a company, the form on Mercy Care's forms page is the AzAHP Organization-Facility Application, effective March 1, 2026. Transportation companies attach a vehicle maintenance schedule, proof of age-appropriate car seats, and current insurance policies, each location needs its own application, and you recredential later to stay in.
5. **Sign the agreement.** A contract negotiator sends the Mercy Care Agreement for electronic signature, and Mercy Care countersigns after credentialing is approved.
6. **Wait before you drive.** Carry no Mercy Care member until you have your effective date, a copy of the fully signed agreement, and a staff member has finished orientation with Mercy Care's Workforce Development team.

If Mercy Care turns you down, you can reapply after one year, and it says it will contact you if its needs change. For AHCCCS's own fee-for-service rates from October 1, 2026, see the Arizona guide, and for how plan contracts work in general, see [how to contract with Medicaid health plans](https://nemtguide.com/guides/contract-with-medicaid-health-plans/).

### Insurance Mercy Care asks for

Mercy Care's manual points to the AHCCCS Minimum Subcontract Provisions, and the insurance checklist in the AzAHP application asks a transportation company for $1,000,000 in auto liability, $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate in general liability, $1,000,000 in employers' liability, and $500,000 in abuse and molestation coverage if you serve children or vulnerable adults. The liability policies name the State of Arizona as an [additional insured](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/additional-insured/), every policy carries a waiver of subrogation, blanket endorsements are not accepted, and the [Arizona guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/arizona/) covers the state's other insurance rules.

### Selling or buying a company with a Mercy Care contract

Mercy Care contracts do not pass to a new owner on their own. Send Network Management the change in writing 90 days before closing, with the effective date, the new owner's name, the TIN, NPI, and AHCCCS ID the new owner will use, a W-9, and the legal papers for the sale, and tell AHCCCS too. See [how to sell a NEMT business](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-sell-a-nemt-business/).

## What Mercy Care expects from your company

Chapter 9 of Mercy Care's General Terms provider manual, last updated July 2026, sets these standards for transportation companies:

- **Drivers.** A valid license free of moving violations, checked through Arizona motor vehicle records, CPR and first aid every two years, HIPAA training every year, and cultural competency training.
- **Your company.** Licensed by the state, registered with AHCCCS, and credentialed with Mercy Care, and any independent drivers you use must be too. Mercy Care does not pay companies that are not registered.
- **Vehicles.** Clean and in good working order, your company name on a sign or logo whenever a member rides, no more passengers than the maker's seating capacity, and everyone inside the vehicle.
- **Service.** Extra support for riders under 12 where needed, every reasonable way to reach a member before you call a [no-show](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/no-show/), and meetings with Mercy Care each quarter or as needed to work through complaint trends.
- **Quality program.** A written quality plan and work plan each year, and member satisfaction results reported to Mercy Care.

The manual also sets numbers to hit:

| Measure | Mercy Care standard |
|---|---|
| Average drop-off before the appointment | Under 60 minutes |
| Average wait for the ride home | Under 60 minutes |
| Member satisfaction | 85 percent |
| Phone service level | Over 75 percent |
| Average speed of answer | Under 30 seconds |
| Calls abandoned | Under 5 percent |
| Complaints | Under 3.5 a month per 1,000 trips |

Mercy Care checks each transportation company's on-time rate every quarter against its 95 percent target, and it also tracks scheduled trips that never happened. A company that falls short can get a [corrective action plan](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/corrective-action-plan/) request, due within 15 business days. Mercy Care can also issue a Notice to Cure, restrict referrals, or impose sanctions, such as $5,000 per location for each issue of noncompliance. Mercy Care sent providers a reminder on transportation timeliness on March 4, 2026.

### Rideshare companies go through the broker

A transportation network company may carry and bill Mercy Care members only through an NEMT broker under that broker's contract, and may never take member calls or book rides itself. AHCCCS gives these companies their own provider type, NT, with rates set only for the health plans' capped fee schedule (see [NEMT vs rideshare](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-vs-rideshare/)).

## Trip reports and claims Mercy Care pays

Mercy Care audits ground transportation companies after the fact, checking mileage, wait time, diagnosis, and medical necessity, and you must send a trip report whenever it asks. Each trip report needs:

- Your company name and address, and the printed name and signature of the driver
- The vehicle's license plate and state, and the vehicle type
- The member's full name, AHCCCS ID, and date of birth
- The full date, pickup and drop-off addresses, times, and odometer readings at both ends
- One way or round trip, and any escort's name and relationship to the member
- The member's signature or fingerprint. If the member cannot sign, a parent, guardian, caregiver, escort, or family member signs and notes the relationship, or the provider at the appointment signs for a member traveling alone. The driver never signs for the member.

Every trip by provider types 28 and NT needs a trip ticket or electronic pickup and drop-off data before Mercy Care pays, and a trip without it is denied. The April 2026 claims manual adds its own rules:

- Bill each loaded trip with its base code, such as A0100 or A0120, and its mileage code, such as S0209 or S0215, on one claim. Split claims are denied.
- AHCCCS allows five base units a day per member, but Mercy Care strongly recommends two: the first pickup and the ride home.
- A spreadsheet or a map screenshot does not count as trip documentation.
- Send first claims within 150 days of the date of service, and correct a claim filed on time within 12 months.

For how to keep these records, see [NEMT trip documentation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-trip-documentation/) and [loaded miles](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/loaded-miles/).

## Mercy Care Advantage rides

Mercy Care Advantage is Mercy Care's Medicare plan for members who also have AHCCCS (see [dual eligible](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/dual-eligible/)). Its 2026 routine ride benefit covers 12 one-way trips, or 6 round trips, a year, and only to the plan's extra benefits: dental, hearing aids, over-the-counter items at select CVS Pharmacy stores, podiatry, vision, benefits for the chronically ill, and wellness programs. Contracted vendors provide these rides, and members book with Mercy Care Advantage at least 72 hours ahead at 602-586-1730 or 1-877-436-5288. Medical rides for these members still come through their AHCCCS coverage at no cost.

## Who to call

| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| A member's ride | Member Services, 602-263-3000 or 1-800-624-3879 (TTY 711) |
| A ride for a member with a serious mental illness | 602-586-1841 or 1-800-564-5465, 24 hours |
| Joining the network or ownership changes | Network Management, MercyCareNetworkManagement@mercycareaz.org |
| Practice or tax ID changes | Network Management fax, 860-975-3201, or the same email |
| Your transportation representative, Maricopa and Pima | 602-525-8689 |
| AHCCCS ID questions | AHCCCS Provider Assistance, 602-417-7670 |

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the Mercy Care transportation phone number?

Members call Mercy Care Member Services at 602-263-3000 or 1-800-624-3879 (TTY 711), weekdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Members with a serious mental illness call 602-586-1841 or 1-800-564-5465, 24 hours a day. Mercy Care Advantage members call 602-586-1730 or 1-877-436-5288, and the DCS Comprehensive Health Plan line is 602-212-4983 or 1-833-711-0776. Offices booking for a patient use the main line with Express Service Code 630.

### Does Mercy Care use Veyo for transportation?

Veyo's help center for medical facilities, in phone lists last edited in 2020 and 2021, gives the Mercy Care, Mercy Care Advantage, and Mercy Care RBHA member lines as the numbers to call to book or change Arizona trips. Veyo has been part of MTM Health since August 1, 2022. AHCCCS's September 16, 2025 letter calls Mercy Care's broker only "the NEMT broker", so ask Mercy Care Network Management which broker will send your trips.

### How far in advance do Mercy Care members have to schedule a ride?

The 2025-2026 member handbook asks for at least three days, and the Long Term Care handbook says three business days. Members can call the same day for urgent care, at least three hours before the visit. Starting October 1, 2026, AHCCCS Policy 310-BB lets a plan ask for no more than three calendar days, and the plan must make exceptions for dialysis, chemotherapy, radiation, discharges, urgent visits, and prenatal care.

### How do I become a Mercy Care transportation provider?

Register with AHCCCS as provider type 28 first, because Mercy Care requires a completed AHCCCS ID. Then email Network Management a letter of interest listing your services, counties, AHCCCS ID, and appointment availability, with a W-9. If Mercy Care approves the request, an onboarding specialist sends the credentialing form, a contract negotiator sends the agreement, and you wait for your effective date before you drive any member.

### Does Mercy Care cover rides to the pharmacy?

Yes, within limits. For members in Maricopa and Pima counties, a pharmacy ride is covered only within 15 miles one way of the pickup, and a compounding or specialty pharmacy farther away needs Mercy Care's authorization. Trips to an MSIC or an IHS or 638 tribal facility are exempt. The handbook tells members to make sure the prescription is ready before they call for the ride.

### Can Mercy Care members get a free bus pass?

Yes. The 2025-2026 member handbooks say Mercy Care sends bus tickets or passes at no cost to members who can ride the bus. Mercy Care's provider manual also requires it to offer public transit as an option where it runs, though the offer never bars a member from other rides.

## Official resources

- [Mercy Care: How to join the provider network](https://www.mercycareaz.org/providers/our-network.html)
- [Mercy Care: Provider manuals and revision summaries](https://www.mercycareaz.org/providers/provider-manual.html)
- [Mercy Care: Claims page and claims processing manual](https://www.mercycareaz.org/providers/claims.html)
- [AzAHP: Credentialing forms, including the Organization-Facility Application](https://www.azahp.org/credentials)
- [AHCCCS: Provider Enrollment Portal (APEP)](https://www.azahcccs.gov/APEP)
- [AHCCCS: AMPM Policy 310-BB, Transportation](https://www.azahcccs.gov/shared/Downloads/MedicalPolicyManual/300/310-BB.pdf)