# Superior HealthPlan Transportation: SafeRide Rides, Foster Care Trips, and How to Get Them

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/superior-healthplan-texas/ · Updated 2026-09-30

Superior HealthPlan transportation is arranged by SafeRide Health. STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids, and STAR Health members book free rides at 1-855-932-2318, weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central, at least two business days ahead, or five for trips over 75 miles. CHIP members are not covered. A NEMT company gets Superior trips by enrolling in Texas Medicaid through TMHP, then joining SafeRide.

- Every Superior Medicaid ride goes through SafeRide Health, so a SafeRide agreement is the only way to get Superior trips.
- STAR Health makes Superior the ride plan for Texas children in foster care in every county, even where it has no other members.
- Trips over 75 miles need five business days of notice and Superior's written approval, so confirm it before a long run.
- Since September 1, 2026, Superior and Wellpoint are the only STAR plans in Lubbock and the three rural service areas.
- A parent's chosen attendant must be on Superior's form and show your driver a photo ID.

## Superior HealthPlan rides at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Ride vendor | SafeRide Health, since June 1, 2021. Claims for Superior rides go through SafeRide's system, not Superior's. |
| Member ride line | 1-855-932-2318 (TTY 711), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central. Where's My Ride: 1-855-932-2319, Monday to Saturday, 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| Line for clinics and doctors | SafeRide's provider-only line for Superior, 1-855-932-2322, in Superior's September 2026 provider manual |
| Who qualifies | STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids, and STAR Health members with no other way to reach a Medicaid service. CHIP and CHIP Perinate members are left out. |
| Booking notice | Two business days. Five business days for any trip over 75 miles. Less for hospital discharges, pharmacy pickups, and urgent care needed within 24 hours. |
| Long trips | Superior's written prior authorization for any trip with a continuous stretch over 75 miles, under its SafeRide contract as the state's September 4, 2025 audit describes it |
| Where members are | STAR Health (foster care) in every county. STAR in 9 of the 13 service areas, STAR+PLUS in 7, and STAR Kids in 7, as of September 2026. |
| Size | About 868,000 Medicaid members in HHSC's preliminary count for May 2026, the most of any Texas plan. About 22,000 were in STAR Health. |
| How to get the trips | Enroll in Texas Medicaid through TMHP, then apply to SafeRide Health and pass its credentialing |

Superior HealthPlan, part of Centene, had more Texas Medicaid members than any other plan in HHSC's preliminary count for May 2026, and every one of its Medicaid rides goes through SafeRide Health. It is also the only plan in STAR Health, the Medicaid program for children in foster care, which runs in every Texas county. How the state's plans and ride vendors divide Texas is in the [Texas guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/texas/), and SafeRide's other Texas plans, insurance limits, and billing are on [SafeRide Health in Texas](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/saferide-health/texas/).

## Which Superior members get rides, and where they live

Superior calls its ride benefit the Medical Ride Program. It covers STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids, and STAR Health members who have no other way to reach a Medicaid service, such as a doctor, dentist, hospital, or pharmacy. CHIP and CHIP Perinate members are left out, though CHIP members get two extra rides described below. Superior's September 2026 provider manual lists where each program runs, and STAR Health runs in every area on top of them:

| Service area | Superior programs with rides, September 2026 | Superior Medicaid members, May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Hidalgo | STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids | About 176,000 |
| Bexar | STAR, STAR Kids | About 125,000 |
| MRSA Northeast | STAR | About 116,000 |
| MRSA West | STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids | About 110,000 |
| Travis | STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids | About 97,000 |
| MRSA Central | STAR, STAR+PLUS | About 96,000 |
| Lubbock | STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids | About 41,000 |
| El Paso | STAR, STAR Kids | About 40,000 |
| Nueces | STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids | About 33,000 |
| Dallas | STAR+PLUS | About 28,000 |
| Harris, Tarrant, and Jefferson | STAR Health only | About 7,000 together |

The member counts come from HHSC's preliminary enrollment file for May 2026 and include the STAR Health children in each area. Superior's Medicaid total was about 868,000, and about 22,000 of those members were in STAR Health. Each of HHSC's service areas groups several counties, so check the state's map for yours.

### Foster care trips reach every county

STAR Health children live in all 13 service areas, so a company in Houston, Fort Worth, or Beaumont can carry Superior riders even though Superior has no STAR members there. Superior's STAR Health handbook sets a short deadline for one visit: when a caseworker decides a child needs the initial 3-Day Medical Exam, it must happen within three business days of the child's removal from home, close to the two business days of notice SafeRide asks for a ride. For who may ride with a child and when, see [children in NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/children-in-nemt/).

### Rural Texas since September 1, 2026

FirstCare and RightCare Scott and White Health Plans left STAR on August 31, 2026. HHSC's May 2026 count had about 77,000 FirstCare STAR members in Lubbock and MRSA West and about 44,000 Scott and White STAR members in MRSA Central. The state's September 2026 map now shows Superior and Wellpoint as the only two STAR plans in Lubbock, MRSA Central, MRSA Northeast, and MRSA West, so the May counts above do not include the members who moved from those two plans. Wellpoint books its rides through MTM Health instead of SafeRide: see [Wellpoint's Texas ride benefit](https://nemtguide.com/health-plans/wellpoint-texas/) and [rural NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/rural-nemt/).

## How Superior members book rides

| Rule | Superior HealthPlan |
|---|---|
| Booking line | 1-855-932-2318 (TTY 711), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central. HHSC's plan list gives 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Online booking | SafeRide's member portal for Superior, which is separate from Superior's own member portal |
| Where's My Ride | 1-855-932-2319, Monday to Saturday, 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central, for ride status and return pickups |
| Clinics and doctors | SafeRide's provider-only line, 1-855-932-2322 |
| Notice | At least two business days |
| Less notice allowed | Hospital discharges, pharmacy pickups of medicine or approved supplies, and urgent conditions that need treatment within 24 hours |
| Trips over 75 miles | At least five business days of notice |
| Changes and cancellations | At least 24 hours ahead, by phone or in the portal |
| What SafeRide asks for | Member ID and date of birth, phone number, doctor's name, appointment date and time, and pickup and drop-off addresses |

Superior's provider manual puts one job on the member: getting SafeRide everything it needs from both the doctor and Superior in time, then checking the request's status before the ride date. When a regular rider tells you about an out-of-town specialist, send them to SafeRide early. See [advance notice](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/advance-notice/) for how booking windows shape your schedule.

### Trips over 75 miles need Superior's written approval

Superior's contract with SafeRide requires Superior's written [prior authorization](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/prior-authorization/) for any trip with a continuous stretch of more than 75 miles, according to the Texas HHS Office of Inspector General's audit AUD-26-002 of September 4, 2025. In that audit of Superior STAR+PLUS trips from fiscal year 2023, 38 of 58 tested trips with a leg over 75 miles had no written approval. SafeRide said it believed 27 of them were exempt, and Superior told the auditors approval was required. The Inspector General announced a $315,000 settlement on July 21, 2026, covered in our [report on the repayment](https://nemtguide.com/news/texas-oig-nemt-audit-repayment/).

Before your driver starts a long Superior trip, ask SafeRide to confirm the written approval is on file. Our [long distance medical transport](https://nemtguide.com/guides/long-distance-medical-transport/) guide covers what those runs cost you.

### Attendants and the forms your driver checks

Superior covers the ride for an attendant a member needs, and its provider manual says the attendant must stay where the care is given, though they may wait in the waiting room. Three SafeRide forms for Superior members decide who rides:

- **Parent Authorized Attendant Form.** A parent or guardian names the adults who may take a child to Medicaid visits, and swears none of them is a Medicaid provider or works for one. The form must be on file with SafeRide or handed to the driver at pickup, and the attendant must show the driver a photo ID.
- **Consent for minors 15 to 17 to travel alone.** It must be on file with SafeRide before a teen rides without an adult. The guardian agrees to tell Superior and SafeRide within 48 hours if they stop being the guardian.
- **Statement of medical need.** A doctor uses it to ask for an adult attendant, to rule out transit or shared rides, or to show that care is not available in the member's county, adjacent counties, or Texas. It is faxed to SafeRide's verification department at 888-534-9598.

Train drivers to match the attendant's photo ID to the form before a child boards, and note it on the [trip log](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-trip-log-template/). More on this in [escorts and caregivers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/escorts-and-caregivers/).

## Extra rides Superior pays for

Superior adds rides the state does not require, called value-added services. HHSC's comparison charts list them program by program, and Superior's STAR handbook names SafeRide as the vendor for the advisory group and disability exam rides.

| Program | Extra rides | HHSC chart |
|---|---|---|
| STAR | Rides to Member Advisory Group meetings inside the member's service area, and a preauthorized ride to a Social Security disability exam, booked two days before the exam. Riders 18 and younger need an adult. Prenatal and postpartum rides may also carry the member's children, in car seats if needed. | Bexar and Lubbock charts dated September 1, 2026 |
| CHIP | The advisory group and disability exam rides, not for CHIP Perinate members | Lubbock CHIP chart dated September 1, 2026 |
| STAR Kids | Rides to a Social Security office or a food pantry, and to Superior events | Lubbock STAR Kids chart dated October 1, 2025 |
| STAR+PLUS | Rides to health or safety classes, such as diabetes self-management or fall prevention, in-person nutrition counseling, dental visits under Superior's extra dental benefit, and a local benefit office | Lubbock STAR+PLUS chart dated September 1, 2025 |

The STAR and CHIP extra rides exclude mileage payments and emergency travel.

## How to get Superior trips

Superior does not hand trips to transportation companies itself. Its provider manual sends NEMT claims through SafeRide's own system, so the path runs through SafeRide:

1. **Enroll in Texas Medicaid through TMHP.** Chapter 16.4 of the state's Uniform Managed Care Manual bars a plan or its ride vendor from signing an agreement with a company TMHP has not enrolled. Apply in TMHP's PEMS portal, and call the TMHP Contact Center at 800-925-9126 for help.
2. **Fill out SafeRide's provider form.** It asks for a real NPI, your EIN, your Medicaid status, your liability limits, and the states you serve, and it starts over if you leave it unfinished for 30 days.
3. **Pass SafeRide's credentialing.** Our [SafeRide Health guide](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/saferide-health/) lists the company, vehicle, and driver files, and [SafeRide Health in Texas](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/saferide-health/texas/) covers the Texas insurance limits to buy.
4. **List every Superior area you can reach,** including STAR Health trips in Harris, Tarrant, and Jefferson.

Your rate comes from your SafeRide agreement, not from Superior. For a yardstick, the state's own fee-for-service rates are in [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/) explains who you negotiate with. Questions about Superior trip payments go to SafeRide's billing department at 1-855-932-2320.

## Who to call

| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Member ride bookings and changes | SafeRide, 1-855-932-2318 (TTY 711) |
| Ride status and return pickups | Where's My Ride, 1-855-932-2319 |
| Clinics and doctors booking rides | SafeRide provider-only line, 1-855-932-2322 |
| Payments for Superior trips | SafeRide billing department, 1-855-932-2320 |
| Family and friend mileage | SafeRide mileage department, 1-855-932-2331 |
| Joining SafeRide's network | team@saferidehealth.com or (855) 955-7433 |
| Superior Provider Services | 1-877-391-5921 |
| Superior Member Services | STAR and CHIP 1-800-783-5386, STAR+PLUS 1-877-277-9772, STAR Kids 1-844-590-4883, STAR Health 1-866-912-6283 |
| Texas Medicaid enrollment | TMHP Contact Center, 800-925-9126 |

## What to do first

1. **Find your service area in the table** and note which Superior programs have members in your counties.
2. **Start TMHP enrollment,** because SafeRide cannot sign your agreement until it is done.
3. **Apply to SafeRide in one sitting** if you can, with your NPI and EIN ready.
4. **Teach drivers the attendant check:** the form on file or in hand, and a photo ID that matches it.
5. **Confirm written approval** before any Superior trip with a stretch over 75 miles.
6. **In Lubbock and the rural service areas, apply to MTM Health too,** so you can carry Wellpoint's STAR members as well as Superior's. See [working with several brokers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/multiple-nemt-brokers/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the Superior Health Plan transportation phone number?

Members book with SafeRide Health at 1-855-932-2318 (TTY 711). Superior's own pages give the hours as Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Central, while HHSC's plan list says 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For ride status and return pickups, members call Where's My Ride at 1-855-932-2319, Monday to Saturday, 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Doctors and clinics use SafeRide's provider line, 1-855-932-2322.

### Does Superior HealthPlan use SafeRide?

Yes. SafeRide Health has arranged rides for Superior's Texas Medicaid members since June 1, 2021, and HHSC's list of plan ride vendors names SafeRide for Superior as of September 30, 2026. SafeRide books rides for STAR, STAR+PLUS, STAR Kids, and STAR Health members, and Superior's STAR handbook says it also provides the plan's extra rides to disability exams and member advisory meetings.

### Does Superior HealthPlan cover rides for CHIP members?

Not through its Medical Ride Program. Superior's transportation page and provider manual both say CHIP and CHIP Perinate members are excluded. CHIP members, but not CHIP Perinate members, do get two extra rides on HHSC's September 1, 2026 charts: rides to Member Advisory Group meetings and a preauthorized ride to a Social Security disability exam.

### How do I become a transportation provider for Superior HealthPlan?

Apply to SafeRide Health, not to Superior. First enroll your company in Texas Medicaid through TMHP's PEMS portal, because the state bars a plan's ride vendor from signing an agreement with a company TMHP has not enrolled. Then fill out SafeRide's provider form with a real NPI and your EIN, finish it within 30 days, and pass SafeRide's credentialing. New providers can reach SafeRide at team@saferidehealth.com or (855) 955-7433.

### Does Superior pay family or friends to drive members?

Yes. A member, relative, friend, or neighbor can enroll with SafeRide to be paid mileage for driving a member in their own car. A driver who is not family must pass a criminal history check. The member must call 1-855-932-2318 to get each trip approved first, the doctor signs the claim form, and SafeRide pays for the shortest route at the state employee mileage rate set by the Texas Legislature.

### How far ahead must a Superior member book a long trip?

At least five business days for any trip over 75 miles, under Superior's September 2026 provider manual. Superior's contract with SafeRide, as a September 4, 2025 state audit describes it, also requires Superior's written approval for any trip with a stretch over 75 miles. Routine rides need two business days, and hospital discharges, pharmacy pickups, and urgent visits can be booked with less notice.

## Official resources

- [Superior HealthPlan: Medical Ride Program for members](https://www.superiorhealthplan.com/members/medicaid/resources/transportation.html)
- [SafeRide Health: Superior HealthPlan ride lines and forms](https://www.saferidehealth.com/texas)
- [SafeRide Health: Join the NEMT network (signup form)](https://www.saferidehealth.com/what-to-expect-nemt-provider)
- [SafeRide Health: Superior Parent Authorized Attendant Form (PDF)](https://info.saferidehealth.com/hubfs/Downloadable%20Forms%20for%20Website%20June%202023/Superior%20Health%20Plan/SHP_Attendant_Authorization_Form%20updated%2003042026%202.pdf)
- [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)