Industry news
Modivcare Takes Over Arkansas NEMT Region G After Winning Its Bankruptcy Protest
On January 2, 2026, Modivcare became the Medicaid nonemergency transportation (NET) broker for Arkansas Region G: Pulaski, Faulkner, and Lonoke counties. It took the region over from Verida. The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) had pulled Modivcare’s award after its Chapter 11 filing, but on October 20, 2025 the State Procurement Director ruled that DHS could not do that because of the bankruptcy alone and ordered the award reinstated. Members kept the same ride line, 888-833-4135.
What changed on January 2, 2026
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Counties | Pulaski, Faulkner, and Lonoke (Region G) |
| Broker since January 2, 2026 | Modivcare Solutions, LLC |
| Broker before | Verida, formerly Southeastrans, which took over Region G in February 2019 and is the Region G broker on DHS’s January 2023 map |
| Member ride line | 888-833-4135, the same number as before |
| Contract | Solicitation 710-25-049: one year, renewable for up to six more one-year terms |
| How DHS pays the broker | A set amount per member per month. The broker must pay its transportation providers in full for authorized trips within 30 calendar days of their invoice |
| Other regions | No change for members who live in other counties |
Region G is the Little Rock area, and most of its rides are in Pulaski County. DHS’s databook for state fiscal year 2024, July 2023 to June 2024, counts 45,061 Region G trips with 86,671 legs and 796,231 loaded miles. Of those trips, 38,097 were in Pulaski County. About 141,600 members were eligible in June 2024. The databook leaves out rides to Early Intervention Day Treatment and Adult Developmental Day Treatment centers.
Here is every Arkansas NET region and broker on the DHS map revised in December 2025:
| Region | Broker | Member ride line |
|---|---|---|
| A | Verida | 888-833-4136 |
| B | Verida | 888-833-4128 |
| C | Verida | 888-833-4130 |
| D | Verida | 888-822-6155 |
| E | Central Arkansas Development Council | 800-385-9992 |
| F | Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas | 844-683-2300 |
| G | Modivcare | 888-833-4135 |
How the award went back and forth
DHS bid out all seven NET regions in 2025, one broker per region, to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The Region G award changed twice before any rides moved.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| June 5, 2025 | DHS posts Invitation for Bid 710-25-049 |
| July 7, 2025 | Bids close. For Region G, six bidders respond, and Modivcare, MediTrans, and Verida tie for the lowest bid |
| July 21, 2025 | After a coin flip under Arkansas procurement rules, DHS posts its anticipated award of Region G to Modivcare |
| August 20, 2025 | Modivcare files for Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas |
| Early September 2025 | DHS rescinds Modivcare’s award, calling it non-responsible because the bankruptcy raised concern about its ability to perform |
| September 3, 2025 | A second coin flip between MediTrans and Verida goes to Verida |
| September 10, 2025 | DHS posts its anticipated award of Region G to Verida |
| October 20, 2025 | The State Procurement Director sustains Modivcare’s protest and orders the Modivcare award reinstated |
| January 2, 2026 | Region G rides move to Modivcare |
Why the state reversed itself
Modivcare protested under a federal bankruptcy law, 11 U.S.C. 525(a). It bars a government unit from discriminating against a person solely because that person is or has been a debtor in bankruptcy. The protected areas include licenses, permits, franchises, similar grants, and employment.
The State Procurement Director agreed that the law reaches a state contract bid. The determination compared a bid to seeking employment, which the law protects, citing court cases where agencies violated section 525 by turning away bidders in Chapter 11. It also found that DHS’s rescission letter gave the bankruptcy filing as the only reason Modivcare was non-responsible.
The determination directed DHS to take three steps:
- Rescind the Region G award to Verida.
- Retract the notice rescinding Modivcare’s award.
- Reinstate the July 21, 2025 award to Modivcare, unless DHS found Modivcare non-responsible or rejected its bid for a reason other than the Chapter 11 filing.
Under Ark. Code Ann. 19-61-701(e)(1), the determination was final and conclusive. For how the bankruptcy case ended and what it meant for provider claims, see Modivcare’s Chapter 11 case.
Who it affects
Transportation providers in Region G
Since January 2, 2026, Region G Medicaid trips come from Modivcare. A Verida subcontract no longer brings trips in these three counties. To keep driving Region G members, you need a subcontract with Modivcare, which you can request through the transportation provider page on its website. See our Modivcare provider guide for how its network works.
Verida still runs Regions A, B, C, and D on the DHS map revised in December 2025. Region B came to Verida through a separate award posted November 10, 2025. See Arkansas Region B and our Verida provider guide.
Riders and the clinics that serve them
Members call the same number, 888-833-4135. DHS tells members to book at least 72 hours ahead, not counting weekends and holidays. Brokers must offer rides Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and must pick up as needed for chemotherapy, radiation, and dialysis. Brokers have to wait only 15 minutes before leaving without the rider.
Driver rules that come with Region G trips
The DHS contract, solicitation 710-25-049, sets minimum qualifications for drivers and attendants, whether the broker employs them or a subcontractor does.
| Rule | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Age | 21 or older |
| License | Valid for the class of vehicle driven |
| Training | Child passenger safety, defensive driving, lift operation, and wheelchair securement |
| First aid and CPR | Current, with hands-on instruction. Online-only certification is not accepted |
| Drug and alcohol testing | Before hire and at random, in a USDOT program or one that mirrors it |
| Criminal history | No felony or drug-related misdemeanor in the last 5 years, no sexual offense or crime of violence at any time, and none of the crimes listed in Ark. Code Ann. 21-15-102 unless waived where the law allows |
| Driving record | Clean when hired, and no suspended or revoked license in the last 5 years. Two moving violations or at-fault accidents in 12 months remove a driver from service |
| Registries and exclusions | Not on Arkansas’s child or adult maltreatment registries, and not excluded under DHS Policy 1088 |
| Out-of-state history | Anyone who has not lived in Arkansas for the last 5 years needs a background check from the prior state |
The contract also bars anyone convicted of Medicaid or Medicare fraud, terminated from either program, or excluded from any Arkansas DHS program from Medicaid transportation work. For how these rules compare with other states, see NEMT driver requirements.
Region G is out for bid again
On June 19, 2026, DHS posted a new solicitation for Region G alone, number 710-26-069.
| Step | Date or term |
|---|---|
| Bids due | July 7, 2026 |
| Bid opening | July 8, 2026 |
| Intent to award, planned | On or about July 24, 2026 |
| Contract start in the bid schedule | September 1, 2026, subject to state approval |
| Contract term | One year, with an anticipated start of January 1, 2027, renewable for up to six more one-year terms |
| How bids are priced | A discount on the calendar year 2027 rate per member per month |
DHS posts an anticipated award for 14 days before it issues a contract, and the award can be protested. As of September 2026, the DHS NET page still lists Modivcare for Region G.
What providers should do now
- Confirm your Modivcare agreement covers the three counties. If you do not have one, request it through Modivcare’s transportation provider page.
- Close out Region G claims with Verida. Trips Verida assigned before January 2, 2026 are billed under your Verida agreement and its deadlines.
- Keep driver files current against the minimums above, so any broker’s credentialing is quick.
- Watch the DHS procurement page for the 710-26-069 award. A new broker would mean new credentialing. Our broker transition checklist covers the steps.
- Spread your work. When one broker controls a region’s Medicaid trips, facility and private pay rides protect you. See how much revenue should come from one broker.
For licensing, enrollment, and rates across the state, see our Arkansas state guide.
Who to contact
- Modivcare, Region G ride line: 888-833-4135
- NET Help Line (AFMC): 888-987-1200, option 1. TDD/TTY 800-285-1131. It does not book rides
- DHS Division of Medical Services: 501-682-8292
- DHS Office of Procurement, solicitation questions: 501-682-0120