# How to Start a NEMT Business in Indiana (2027)

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/states/indiana/ · Updated 2026-09-29

To start a NEMT business in Indiana, form your company, get passenger authority from the Department of Revenue's Motor Carrier Services, buy a $50,000 surety bond, and enroll with Indiana Medicaid as a common carrier. Then join the brokers: Verida for Traditional Medicaid, LCP Transportation for UnitedHealthcare and Humana, and WellTrans, which every HIP and Hoosier Healthwise plan has used since MDwise left on January 1, 2026.

- Traditional Medicaid rides come through Verida, and since January 1, 2026 every HIP and Hoosier Healthwise plan sends its rides through WellTrans.
- Enroll with Indiana Medicaid before any broker: common carriers are screened as high risk, with owner fingerprints, site visits, a $750 fee in 2026, and a $50,000 surety bond.
- For-profit carriers need a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from Motor Carrier Services, which takes 30 to 60 days and requires $1.5 million in liability for 15 or fewer passengers.
- Fee-for-service rates follow Medicare: $31.79 for a wheelchair van trip in 2026, rising to $32.71 on January 1, 2027, with mileage paid only on trips over 10 miles.
- In June 2026, 11 Indiana counties had no Verida vehicle picking up and 20 had no wheelchair vehicle, so check FSSA's county heat map before you pick a service area.

## Indiana NEMT at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Medicaid agency | Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), which pays Verida capitation payments for fee-for-service rides. Health plans arrange rides for their own members. |
| How rides work | Each health plan picks its ride broker. Verida arranges Traditional Medicaid rides statewide, with a northern and a southern provider region. |
| Medicaid brokers | Verida for Traditional Medicaid since June 1, 2018. WellTrans for every HIP and Hoosier Healthwise plan since MDwise left on January 1, 2026. LCP Transportation for UnitedHealthcare and Humana. |
| How to join | Enroll with Indiana Medicaid as a common carrier (specialty 264 or 265), then send Verida its Request for Qualifications and WellTrans its provider contact form |
| State registration | A Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Department of Revenue's Motor Carrier Services, in tiers of 8, 15, or 16 or more passengers, plus a $50,000 Medicaid surety bond |
| Insurance | Motor Carrier Services: $1.5 million for 15 or fewer passengers, $5 million for 16 or more. WellTrans: $1.5 million auto per accident and $1 million general liability. |
| Drivers | Every driver reported to Indiana Medicaid. WellTrans drivers are 21 or older, with no DUI, suspension, or felony in 5 years and yearly background, drug, and driving checks. |
| Vehicle inspections | WellTrans inspects each vehicle before service and at least once a year. Verida inspects every vehicle before it enters its network. |
| Pay | Verida bases its rates on the state fee schedule ($31.79 a wheelchair van trip in 2026, $32.71 from January 1, 2027) and pays clean claims within 14 days. WellTrans pays its agreement rate. |
| EVV | NEMT is not on the list. Indiana EVV covers personal care services under some waiver plans and home health services. |

Indiana Medicaid rides go through brokers, and the member's program decides which one. Before any broker can send you trips, your company needs Indiana Medicaid enrollment and, as a for-profit carrier, passenger authority from the Department of Revenue. The rules below follow the Indiana Health Coverage Programs (IHCP) Transportation Services module, version 6.1 (published August 19, 2025), and the Provider Enrollment module, version 7.1 (published September 8, 2026).

## How Medicaid rides work in Indiana

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) runs Medicaid as the IHCP. Verida, formerly Southeastrans, has arranged Traditional Medicaid (fee-for-service) rides since June 1, 2018. It is paid through [capitation](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/capitation/), which also covers approved meals and lodging when treatment needs an overnight stay. Members of HIP, Hoosier Healthwise, Hoosier Care Connect, and Indiana PathWays for Aging get rides through their health plan's contractor. As of September 2026:

| Program | Health plan | Ride broker |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional Medicaid | None | Verida |
| HIP, Hoosier Healthwise | Anthem, CareSource, MHS | WellTrans |
| Hoosier Care Connect | Anthem, MHS | WellTrans |
| Hoosier Care Connect | UnitedHealthcare | LCP Transportation |
| PathWays for Aging | Anthem | WellTrans |
| PathWays for Aging | Humana, UnitedHealthcare | LCP Transportation |

MDwise left HIP and Hoosier Healthwise on January 1, 2026, and Modivcare stopped arranging its members' rides, so every plan left in those programs uses WellTrans. See [Indiana HIP and Hoosier Healthwise rides move to WellTrans](https://nemtguide.com/news/indiana-hip-nemt-welltrans/).

### How much work there is

On August 18, 2026, Verida told FSSA's NEMT Commission that its Indiana network had 120 active providers running 840 vehicles as of June 2026, with 28 more providers in credentialing. In each quarter of its latest contract year it averaged roughly 26,000 to 27,600 trips a month, about 4,500 to 4,700 of them wheelchair trips. Trip volume fell about 9 percent from the year before.

FSSA's heat map, built from Verida's data, counts the vehicles picking up in each of Indiana's 92 counties every month. In June 2026, no Verida vehicle picked up in 11 counties: Benton, Brown, Crawford, Jasper, Newton, Ohio, Parke, Posey, Pulaski, Rush, and Union. Twenty counties had no wheelchair vehicle picking up. Start there when you choose a service area.

### Who qualifies and how members book

Indiana Medicaid pays for a ride to or from a covered service only while the member is in the vehicle, by the least expensive ride that meets the member's needs, along the shortest route. Traditional Medicaid covers 20 one-way trips in any rolling 12 months, and more when a doctor asks and Verida approves. Members younger than 16 ride with an adult.

Members with emergency-only coverage (Package E or B), the Family Planning Eligibility Program, or Medicare savings coverage only (QI, QDWI, QMB, or SLMB) get no NEMT. From January 1, 2027, HIP members without an exemption must log 80 hours of work or community engagement a month to keep coverage, so [check eligibility](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/eligibility-verification/) before every trip.

Verida members book at least two business days ahead, and shorter notice needs the healthcare provider to confirm the appointment. Verida treats transfers between facilities as urgent trips, served within three hours. WellTrans takes Anthem bookings 2 to 45 days ahead, with urgent and discharge trips at any hour.

### Trips booked without Verida

For fee-for-service members, these trips are arranged directly with a transportation provider:

- Stretcher trips and trips needing basic or advanced life support, which go to an IHCP-enrolled ambulance provider.
- Every hospital-to-hospital trip, wheelchair trips included, billed to Indiana Medicaid with the HH modifier.
- Rides for nursing facility residents, which the facility has arranged and paid for since July 1, 2023, except life support trips.
- Rides to 1915(c) home and community-based waiver services, school corporation rides, and Medical Review Team trips.

## Which brokers to join

Indiana requires two things before you carry a Medicaid rider: an IHCP enrollment, and a contract with the broker for that rider's program.

### Step 1: Enroll with Indiana Medicaid

Enroll as provider type 26 (transportation), specialty 264 for ambulatory common carriers or 265 for wheelchair vans. You must offer rides to the general public, and transportation must be your main business. Transportation companies need no NPI: they bill with the IHCP Provider ID issued at enrollment. See [how to become a Medicaid transportation provider](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-become-a-medicaid-transportation-provider/).

1. **Gather documents.** Your Motor Carrier Services certificate or USDOT authority (for-profit carriers), proof of insurance, a copy of each driver's license, and each driver's name, Social Security number, and birth date.
2. **Buy the surety bond.** At least $50,000, lasting at least three years, on State Form 55382. 501(c)(3) nonprofits and companies owned by a hospital, pharmacy, or licensed professional are exempt, and FSSA can waive it in underserved areas.
3. **Get fingerprinted.** The April 10, 2026 risk matrix screens new common carriers as high risk, so everyone with 5 percent or more ownership is fingerprinted through the Indiana State Police before you apply, at their own cost.
4. **Pay the fee.** $750 for applications received in 2026, online through IHCP Bill Pay.
5. **Apply and attest.** Apply on the IHCP Provider Healthcare Portal or by mail. You attest that you have a process for state drug law violations, will share any driver's driving history on request, and have reported every driver.
6. **Expect site visits.** High-risk providers get an unannounced visit before enrollment and another within the first year. Allow at least 15 business days before checking your status.

Under FSSA's July 2024 criminal history scoring criteria for transportation providers, any felony conviction of one of those owners makes the company ineligible. Most misdemeanors are reviewed case by case, though some, such as fraud, also disqualify, and infractions such as speeding tickets do not. After enrollment, report license and permit changes within 10 business days and ownership changes within 30.

### Step 2: Join Verida for Traditional Medicaid

Verida contracts only where a region needs more rides. Its four steps, as of September 2026:

1. **Send the Request for Qualifications.** Choose Indiana on the online form and send a driver list and a vehicle list with it. If your area needs providers, Verida calls you for an interview.
2. **Send your documents.** A current business license, proof of liability insurance, driver credentials, and current background checks, driving reports, and drug screens for every driver (owners get drug screens too).
3. **Pass inspections and training.** Every vehicle passes a safety inspection, and every driver finishes Verida's training.
4. **Attend the owner orientation.** The contract is signed at the end of the session.

The state module adds that new providers finish credentialing within 60 days of signing, and each signs a Verida rate agreement. Verida's Indiana provider lines are 765-602-6004 (northern region) and 317-931-9294 (southern region), weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern, and claims questions go to 678-510-4600, option 2. See our [Verida guide](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/verida/).

### Step 3: Join WellTrans for HIP, Hoosier Healthwise, and more

Send WellTrans its "Contact Us to Become a Provider" form or call provider relations at 317-435-0830. If your region needs providers, WellTrans interviews you and asks for the same core documents as Verida. After you sign its agreement electronically, WellTrans collects your insurance, permits, and driver and vehicle files, trains your staff, and inspects each vehicle. Active providers call 866-982-3983. The [WellTrans provider guide](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/welltrans/) covers the agreement, and the [NEMT credentialing checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-credentialing-checklist/) builds one file for every broker.

### Step 4: Join LCP Transportation for UnitedHealthcare and Humana

To join LCP's network, send your IHCP enrollment letter showing your Medicaid Provider ID, your Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, and a certificate of liability insurance that names LCP Transportation, LLC as an additional insured with 30 days' notice of cancellation. LCP also asks for each driver's license copy, motor vehicle report, current 10-panel drug screen, and national criminal background check. Vendor relations answers at vendorsupport@lcptransportation.com or 317-412-9781, extension 135.

## Licenses and registrations

### Your company

Form an LLC or corporation with the Indiana Secretary of State, online through INBiz or on paper. The paper Articles of Organization (State Form 49459, revised January 2026) carry a $100 fee. Your registered agent needs an Indiana address, and the company cannot be its own registered agent. If you run all of the business remotely from home, the form lets you list a contact address as your principal office.

A for-profit company files a business entity report every two years in the month it formed, starting two years after forming: $50 on paper, less on INBiz. A report five months overdue leads to administrative dissolution. Get your EIN from the IRS, which never charges for one. Verida and WellTrans ask for a current business license, so ask your city or county which license it issues. See [LLC for NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/llc-for-nemt/).

### Department of Revenue, Motor Carrier Services

Under Indiana Code 8-2.1-22, a carrier of passengers for hire within Indiana needs a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from Motor Carrier Services. The IHCP enrolls no for-profit common carrier without it or USDOT authority.

| If you | You need |
|---|---|
| Carry 8 or fewer passengers for hire, only in Indiana | An Indiana ID number in place of a USDOT number |
| Use a vehicle rated 10,001 pounds or more, or one designed or used for more than 8 people, driver included, for pay | A USDOT number |
| Carry passengers for hire across state lines | A federal MC number from FMCSA |
| Run ambulances or life support trips | Emergency Medical Services Commission certification |

Authority comes in tiers of 8 or fewer, 15 or fewer, or 16 or more passengers, driver included, and changing tiers needs a new application. Send:

- State Forms IOA-1, IOA-2, and IOAP-SUP, and proof of your USDOT number if you need one.
- For an LLC or corporation: your Secretary of State registration, your IRS EIN letter (147C or CP575), and a business bank statement no more than 60 days old with a positive balance.
- The $100 nonrefundable fee.

Processing takes 30 to 60 days, and you may not carry passengers for hire meanwhile, though Form IOA-2 lets you ask for 180-day temporary authority if you send a tariff with it. Once approved, you have 60 days to have your insurer file a Form E and to send your tariff with State Form IOA-T, or the authority is dismissed. The tariff lists every fare and charge, including waiting time, and you may not charge anything outside it. Renew every year by November 30. Call 317-615-7200 (option 3, then 1) or email passengerhhg@dor.in.gov. See [DOT numbers for NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/dot-number-for-nemt/) and [NEMT license requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-license-requirements/).

## Vehicle rules

WellTrans inspects each vehicle before service and at least once a year, plus unannounced spot inspections. A vehicle that passes with minor problems is re-inspected within 10 days. A failed vehicle is "redlined," cannot carry riders, and earns nothing for trips run in it. You also document a walk-around of each vehicle every day. Verida inspects every vehicle before it joins, once your documents are complete.

WellTrans's Indiana inspection form (August 2020) checks for:

- Working horn, brakes, lights, heat, air conditioning, and speedometer, two outside mirrors, an inside mirror, and tires with 3/32 inch of tread.
- A two-way radio or cell phone, a seat belt for every seat, two extensions, and a belt cutter.
- A mounted, tagged fire extinguisher, three reflectors, a reflective vest, a first aid kit, a spill kit, a flashlight, and a GPS or map.
- A packet with broker numbers, registration, insurance card, and accident forms, plus seat belt and no smoking signs.

Wheelchair vans also need 56 inches of headroom, a door at least 56 inches high and 30 wide, a 600-pound lift with a 30 by 48 inch platform and a 1-inch roll-off barrier, an engine interlock, a manual backup, four floor straps, and lap and shoulder belts. Indiana pays for the level of service given, so an ambulatory rider in a wheelchair van is billed as ambulatory. For fee-for-service members, stretcher trips go to IHCP-enrolled ambulance providers, and Indiana pays for life support trips only when vehicles and staff are certified by the Emergency Medical Services Commission. See [stretcher transportation](https://nemtguide.com/guides/start-a-stretcher-transportation-business/) and our [vehicle inspection checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-vehicle-inspection-checklist/).

## Driver rules and training

Indiana Medicaid wants every driver on your enrollment with a license copy, plus your drug law and driving history attestations. The brokers set the rest. WellTrans's Indiana Driver Update Form (August 4, 2026) requires:

- An age of 21 or older.
- A 10-panel drug screen and a national sex offender check every year, and [OIG exclusion](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/oig-exclusion-list/), EPLS, and SAM checks.
- A 5-year [motor vehicle record](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/motor-vehicle-record/) every year: no more than 2 chargeable violations or at-fault accidents in 3 years, and no DUI, DWI, suspension, or revocation in 5 years.
- A 5-year national, state, and county criminal check every year: no felony in 5 years and no crime of violence, substance abuse, or sexual abuse.

WellTrans also wants fraud, waste, and abuse, HIPAA, and compliance training, CTAA [PASS](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/pass-certification/) Basic or NEMTAC CTS (full PASS for wheelchair drivers), CTAA's course on riders who have experienced trauma, first aid and CPR, and defensive driving. Verida trains drivers in first aid, CPR, defensive driving, passenger sensitivity, spill kits, lifting, [wheelchair securement](https://nemtguide.com/guides/wheelchair-securement/), and its orientation.

### On the job

- No smoking or vaping on WellTrans rides, and a phone or two-way radio in every vehicle.
- Check the vehicle before you walk away from it. Leaving a rider alone in a vehicle or failing to secure a wheelchair gets a driver removed from WellTrans work.
- Seat children in the back, in a car seat the parent brings. Without the seat, the child does not ride.
- Never pick up or sign for a member's prescriptions.
- Report an accident, incident, or moving violation to WellTrans by phone at once and in writing within 24 hours, with the police report within 3 business days. When a member was aboard or hurt, drug and alcohol test the driver right away and send results within 72 hours.

### Licenses and driver files

Indiana's BMV issues a $19 for-hire endorsement for carrying passengers for hire in a vehicle designed for fewer than 16 people, driver included. It needs age 18, a license held over a year, a vision screening, and a knowledge exam. The BMV lists operating a medical services vehicle as not for hire, and Indiana Code 9-13-2-100 defines one to include a vehicle routinely used to carry patients who are not acutely ill or injured. Ask the BMV to confirm whether your drivers need the endorsement. A vehicle designed for 16 or more people needs a CDL.

WellTrans wants each driver file to hold a five-year Indiana State Police driving record updated yearly, the yearly criminal check and drug screen, training certificates, and any complaints, accidents, or violations. Keep them in a [driver file](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-driver-file-checklist/).

## Trip rules and how you get paid

### Service standards

WellTrans's manual (revised February 17, 2023) sets these standards. Verida covers its rules at the owner orientation.

- **Pickups.** More than 10 minutes after the scheduled time is late. Wait at least 10 minutes before a [no-show](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/no-show/), and call your dispatcher before leaving. Confirm each pickup with the rider 24 hours ahead.
- **Drop-offs.** 15 minutes before the appointment, but no more than an hour early.
- **Returns.** Scheduled returns within 30 minutes. [Will-call](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/will-call-trip/) returns within an hour of the call, or by the office's closing time if sooner.
- **Discharges and delays.** Same-day discharges within three hours of accepting. Call riders when you run 15 minutes late.
- **Shared rides.** No rider spends more than 20 minutes longer than the average public transit trip.
- **Turning trips back.** Tell WellTrans at least one business day ahead if you cannot run a trip it assigned 36 hours or more before pickup.

### What WellTrans charges when standards are missed

The WellTrans agreement (revised October 16, 2025) sets liquidated damages, deducted from what it owes you after at least 10 days' written notice that you may contest. Among them:

| Problem | Charge |
|---|---|
| Your vehicle never shows | $100 each time |
| Late to a dialysis appointment | $150, plus $50 an hour after the first hour |
| Vehicle below the service level ordered | $200 each time |
| Rerouting over 15% of trips in a month | $200 per point over 15% |
| Using a driver who is out of compliance | $100 a day, up to $2,500 a month |
| Incident report later than 24 hours | $1,000 a day |

### What every trip record needs

The IHCP wants a driver's ticket with the date, the member's name, ID, and pickup address, the member's signature (or why the member could not sign), the destination, the driver, odometer or mapping mileage, one-way or round trip, the level of service, waiting start and stop times, and any escort's name and signature. WellTrans is stricter: it rejects trip logs that say a rider could not sign, so a household member, caretaker, or facility staff member signs in their own name and gives their relationship. Use a [trip log](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-trip-log-template/). A stop along the way does not make a new trip, and codes carry [origin and destination modifiers](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/origin-destination-modifiers/). Since bulletin BT2025119 (August 19, 2025), each added trip for the same member on the same day carries the XE modifier, but a trip where you waited between stops stays one trip. In 2020, HHS OIG found Indiana had paid an estimated $3.5 million in federal funds for 2016 and 2017 NEMT claims that broke federal and state rules, so keep every ticket.

### Fee-for-service rates for 2026 and 2027

Since January 1, 2026, under bulletin BT2025156, the IHCP fee schedule has paid 100 percent of the January 1, 2025 Medicare transportation rates. Bulletin BT2026143 (August 27, 2026) moves it to the January 1, 2026 Medicare rates from January 1, 2027. The IHCP calls these minimum rates for its managed care health plans. In dollars per trip or unit:

| Service (code) | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Ambulatory trip (T2003) | $12.71 | $13.08 |
| Each added ambulatory rider (T2004) | $6.36 | $6.54 |
| Wheelchair van trip (A0130) | $31.79 | $32.71 |
| Each added wheelchair rider (A0130 TT) | $15.90 | $16.36 |
| Mile on trips over 10 miles (A0425 U3 or U5) | $1.67 | $1.72 |
| Waiting, per half hour (T2007 U3 or U5) | $7.43 | $7.65 |
| Ambulatory escort (T2001) | $6.36 | $6.54 |
| Wheelchair escort (A0130 TK) | $15.90 | $16.36 |

- **Mileage.** [Loaded miles](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/loaded-miles/) pay only on trips over 10 miles one way. The IHCP deducts the first 10 itself, so bill every mile.
- **Waiting.** Paid only when you park outside for a member carried 50 miles or more one way, and never for the first 30 minutes.
- **Shared rides.** Each added rider from the same county to the same area pays half the base rate, with no mileage or waiting.
- **Not paid.** Parking, tolls, and any trip without the member aboard, which includes [no-shows](https://nemtguide.com/guides/billing-for-no-shows/).

Compare other states in [NEMT reimbursement rates by state](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-reimbursement-rates/).

### When brokers pay

- **Verida.** Clean claims sent by Wednesday are paid within 14 days, by check or electronic transfer. Rates are based on the fee schedule, and Verida can negotiate higher ones. For a claim problem, request an administrative review in the Verida Provider Portal, then appeal in writing to Verida Claims, 843 Dallas Highway, Villa Rica, GA 30180.
- **WellTrans.** Only trips with a WellTrans job number are paid, at the lesser of your charge or your agreement rate, with mileage by the shortest route. Invoice within 60 days of the ride, and nothing is paid after 90 days. Uncontested invoices are paid twice a month, within 30 days. Dispute a denial in writing within 60 days, and appeal within 60 days of the answer.

Trips you bill to Indiana Medicaid yourself, such as hospital-to-hospital transfers, are due within 180 days of service. Gainwell must decide clean electronic claims within 21 days, and since January 29, 2026, each first paper claim costs $5. See [how to bill Medicaid for NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-bill-medicaid-for-nemt/).

## Insurance requirements

Motor Carrier Services sets these minimums in commercial bodily injury and property damage coverage, filed by your insurer on a Form E:

| Vehicles | Minimum |
|---|---|
| 15 or fewer passengers | $1.5 million |
| 16 or more passengers | $5 million |

The IHCP requires nonprofits to carry at least $1.5 million combined single-limit auto liability. The WellTrans agreement (revised October 16, 2025) requires:

| Coverage | WellTrans minimum |
|---|---|
| Auto liability | $1.5 million per accident, or the local taxi amount if higher |
| General liability | $1 million per incident, with sexual abuse and molestation cover |
| Professional liability | $1 million, for wheelchair vehicle operators |
| Employer's liability | $100,000 per accident, $100,000 disease per employee, $500,000 disease limit |

The auto policy must show "Any Auto" or symbols 2, 8, and 9. WellTrans, Professional Management Enterprises Inc., and the officers, agents, and employees of the State of Indiana and FSSA are additional insureds on every policy but workers' compensation, with insurers rated A- or better and 30 days' written notice before any change. Verida's Indiana insurance overview looks for an A- or better insurer, every vehicle listed, $1 million sexual abuse and molestation cover with a $2 million aggregate, and auto cover for all owned, hired, and non-owned vehicles. See [NEMT insurance requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-insurance-requirements/).

Indiana's Worker's Compensation Board says the law requires most businesses to carry workers' compensation, with employees covered from their first day. A driver you treat as an independent contractor must qualify under IRS guidelines and get a certificate of exemption ($20). The Department of Revenue first confirms the driver owes no state tax, and the certificate takes effect at midnight seven business days after the Board stamps it. Indiana law requires you to get a copy of the stamped certificate from each driver you hire this way. See [NEMT drivers: 1099 or W-2](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-drivers-1099-or-w2/).

## What it costs and how long it takes

These are the fees Indiana sets as of September 2026. Vehicles, premiums, and the bond premium depend on your quotes. See [what it costs to start a NEMT business](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-much-does-it-cost-to-start-a-nemt-business/).

| Item | Cost | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| EIN | Free | IRS |
| LLC filing, paper form | $100 | Secretary of State |
| Entity report, every 2 years, paper | $50 | Secretary of State |
| Passenger authority application | $100 | Department of Revenue |
| Medicaid application fee (2026) | $750 | Indiana Medicaid |
| For-hire endorsement, if needed | $19 | BMV |

A workable order, from first call to first trip:

1. **Check demand.** Look at FSSA's heat map, then call Verida's regional provider line and WellTrans provider relations about the counties and service levels they need.
2. **Form your company,** get your EIN, and open a business bank account.
3. **Apply for passenger authority.** Allow 30 to 60 days, then up to 60 more for the Form E and tariff.
4. **Buy insurance** at the broker limits, and the $50,000 surety bond.
5. **Fingerprint the owners** and apply to Indiana Medicaid. Allow at least 15 business days, plus site visits.
6. **Hire drivers** and run their checks, then equip your vehicles.
7. **Apply to Verida, WellTrans, and LCP,** pass inspections and training, and finish Verida credentialing within 60 days of signing.

For the same steps in any state, see [how to start a NEMT business](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-start-a-nemt-business/).

## Work beyond Medicaid

- **Nursing facilities.** Since July 1, 2023, they arrange and pay for their Medicaid residents' rides that do not need life support, from their daily rate. See [how to get NEMT facility contracts](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-get-nemt-facility-contracts/).
- **Medicare Advantage.** WellTrans also books rides for IU Health Plans Medicare Advantage and Anthem Medicare members. See Medicare Advantage transportation.
- **Waiver transportation.** Since August 1, 2026, Indiana has frozen new waiver transportation enrollments for an initial six months, which it may extend, with limited exceptions for areas short of providers. See waiver transportation providers.
- **Section 5310.** INDOT grants federal money to nonprofits and local governments in rural and small urban areas for rides for seniors and people with disabilities. Applications open each January, and existing grantees get priority.
- **Veterans.** The VA pays for special mode transportation, an ambulance or specially equipped vehicle, when a VA provider decides a veteran needs it and the trip is approved in advance. See VA transportation contracts.
- **Private pay.** Your tariff must list these fares too. See [private pay NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/private-pay-nemt/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need a license to start a NEMT business in Indiana?

Yes. A for-profit company that carries passengers for hire within Indiana needs a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from Motor Carrier Services at the Department of Revenue. The application fee is $100, processing takes 30 to 60 days, and you renew every year by November 30. Indiana Medicaid will not enroll a for-profit common carrier without that certificate or USDOT authority.

### Who are the Medicaid NEMT brokers in Indiana?

As of September 2026, Verida arranges rides for Traditional Medicaid members. WellTrans arranges them for Anthem, CareSource, and MHS members in HIP and Hoosier Healthwise, for Anthem and MHS members in Hoosier Care Connect, and for Anthem PathWays members. LCP Transportation serves UnitedHealthcare members and Humana PathWays members.

### Do I have to enroll with Indiana Medicaid if I only drive broker trips?

Yes. Indiana requires every transportation provider to enroll with the Indiana Health Coverage Programs and also contract with Verida or the health plan's broker. WellTrans's agreement makes you promise you are an active Indiana Medicaid provider, and LCP asks for your enrollment letter. You do not need an NPI: transportation companies use the IHCP Provider ID they get at enrollment.

### How much does Indiana Medicaid pay for NEMT trips?

For fee-for-service trips in 2026, the fee schedule pays $12.71 for an ambulatory trip and $31.79 for a wheelchair van trip, plus $1.67 a mile on trips over 10 miles one way. From January 1, 2027, those become $13.08, $32.71, and $1.72. Verida bases its rates on this schedule and can negotiate more. WellTrans pays the rate in your agreement.

### How long does it take to start a NEMT business in Indiana?

Several steps run in sequence. Motor Carrier Services takes 30 to 60 days, then gives you up to 60 days to file your insurance and tariff. Indiana Medicaid asks you to allow at least 15 business days before checking on your application, and high-risk screening adds fingerprints and a site visit. Brokers add providers only where a region needs them.

### Which Indiana counties need more NEMT providers?

FSSA posts a monthly heat map of the Verida vehicles picking up in each county. In June 2026, no Verida vehicle picked up in Benton, Brown, Crawford, Jasper, Newton, Ohio, Parke, Posey, Pulaski, Rush, or Union County, and 20 counties had no wheelchair vehicle picking up. Call Verida's regional provider line to confirm where it is adding providers.

### Does Indiana Medicaid pay for stretcher rides?

Yes, but through ambulance providers. For fee-for-service members, a trip on a stretcher or one that needs basic or advanced life support is booked directly with an IHCP-enrolled ambulance provider, not through Verida. Indiana pays for life support trips only when the vehicles and staff are certified by the state Emergency Medical Services Commission.

## Official resources

- [Indiana Medicaid: Nonemergency Medical Transportation for providers](https://www.in.gov/medicaid/providers/clinical-services/nonemergency-medical-transportation/)
- [IHCP: Transportation Services module](https://www.in.gov/medicaid/providers/files/modules/transportation-services.pdf)
- [Indiana Medicaid: Complete an IHCP Provider Enrollment Application](https://www.in.gov/medicaid/providers/provider-enrollment/complete-an-ihcp-provider-enrollment-application/)
- [Indiana Medicaid: IHCP Fee Schedules](https://www.in.gov/medicaid/providers/business-transactions/billing-and-remittance/ihcp-fee-schedules/)
- [Verida: Indiana transportation providers](https://verida.com/indiana-providers/)
- [WellTrans: Provider information and the Contact Us to Become a Provider form](https://www.welltransnemt.com/provider-info/)
- [LCP Transportation: Transportation vendors](https://www.lcptransportation.com/transportation-providers/)
- [Indiana Department of Revenue: Passenger operating authority](https://www.in.gov/dor/motor-carrier-services/usdot-and-ucr/indiana-intrastate-passenger-and-household-good-authority/)
- [FSSA: Heat map of NEMT vehicles by county](https://www.in.gov/fssa/ompp/non-emergency-medical-transportation/sea-480-data-reports/heat-map/)
- [INBiz: Register and maintain your business](https://inbiz.in.gov/business-filings)