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

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

To start a NEMT business in Louisiana, form your company, get an NPI, insure your vans with the Louisiana Department of Health as an additional insured, and get a Public Service Commission certificate and for-hire plates. Then email MediTrans a letter of intent to serve Healthy Louisiana plan members, or send Verida its form for fee-for-service rides. Enroll with Louisiana Medicaid when the state invites you.

- As of September 2026, MediTrans arranges rides for every Healthy Louisiana plan and Verida for fee-for-service members, so a contract with one or both brokers is how you get Louisiana Medicaid trips.
- Louisiana pays only for trips a contracted broker schedules, and brokers offer trips to public transit and gas reimbursement drivers before companies like yours.
- Get a Public Service Commission General License Certificate and for-hire plates, and a city or parish permit before you drive in New Orleans or Jefferson Parish.
- Stretcher vans, two-door cars, pickups, and salvage titles are not allowed, and one DUI conviction at any time bars a driver from plan trips.
- Plans must pay at least $13.50 plus $1.10 a mile for an ambulatory trip unless your contract says otherwise. Act 969 of 2026 raises that floor only once the Legislature funds it.

## Louisiana NEMT at a glance

| Fact | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Medicaid agency | Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). It pays each Healthy Louisiana health plan a monthly rate that includes rides, and contracts a broker for fee-for-service members. |
| How rides work | Each health plan arranges its members' rides through a broker, and LDH uses a separate broker for fee-for-service members. Both brokers cover the whole state. |
| Medicaid brokers | MediTrans for all five Healthy Louisiana plans as of September 2026, and Verida for fee-for-service (legacy) Medicaid members |
| How to join | Email a letter of intent to MediTrans at providers@meditrans.com. For fee-for-service trips, send Verida its Request for Qualifications form with driver and vehicle lists. |
| State registration | A Public Service Commission General License Certificate for exempt NEMT carriers, and for-hire plates from the Office of Motor Vehicles. New Orleans and Jefferson Parish add local permits. |
| Insurance | State floor of $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage, or $300,000 combined, with LDH as additional insured. MediTrans asks for $1,000,000 in auto liability. |
| Drivers | At least 21 with a Class D license or CDL, no more than two moving violations in three years, never a DUI, and a yearly state police background check and drug screen |
| Vehicle inspections | The broker inspects and photographs each vehicle before it enters service and every year after. Each vehicle also keeps a current Louisiana inspection sticker. |
| Pay | Your broker contract sets it, no lower than the state fee schedule unless the contract says so (wheelchair van: $21.50 plus $1.30 a mile since October 1, 2025). Claims are due in 365 days. |
| EVV | NEMT is not on the list. Louisiana's EVV covers Medicaid personal care services and home health services. |

Louisiana runs Medicaid rides through brokers. As of September 2026, MediTrans arranges rides for all five Healthy Louisiana health plans, and Verida arranges them for members on fee-for-service Medicaid. To get that work, you need a registered company, a Public Service Commission certificate and for-hire plates, the right insurance, and vans and drivers that meet the state's rules. The rules below follow the Medicaid Managed Care Organization Manual updated May 28, 2026, and the fee-for-service manual chapter issued July 14, 2025.

## How Medicaid rides work in Louisiana

The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) runs Medicaid. Most members belong to a Healthy Louisiana health plan, and each plan covers their rides out of the monthly [capitation](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/capitation/) payment LDH makes to it. A plan may hire a transportation broker, but it stays responsible for every state rule. The broker checks each request, books the trip, assigns it to a transportation company, and pays the company. See [what a NEMT broker is](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/nemt-broker/).

| Member | Who arranges the ride |
|---|---|
| Healthy Louisiana plan member | The plan, through MediTrans |
| Fee-for-service (legacy) Medicaid, and groups left out of managed care | LDH, through Verida |
| Nursing home or ICF/IID resident | The facility, as part of its daily rate |

As of September 2026, LDH lists MediTrans as the broker for all five plans: Aetna Better Health of Louisiana, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, Healthy Blue, Humana Healthy Horizons, and Louisiana Healthcare Connections. Louisiana Healthcare Connections moved to MediTrans on May 1, 2025, and AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana on November 1, 2025. Healthy Blue leaves on December 31, 2026, and under LDH's Informational Bulletin 26-12 its members move to the other four plans on January 1, 2027, with their standing ride orders. See the [MediTrans](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/meditrans/) and [Verida](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/verida/) guides.

A member qualifies when they are in a Medicaid program that includes transportation and have no other way to reach a covered service. Rides to pharmacies, nursing facilities, hospice care, and WIC visits are excluded, though a plan may offer pharmacy and WIC rides as an extra benefit. Plan members give at least 48 hours' notice, weekends not counted, but brokers cannot refuse urgent trips such as dialysis or chemotherapy only because the notice was short. Verida asks fee-for-service members to book three business days ahead.

The ride types are ambulatory, wheelchair, and ELOC, Louisiana's door-through-door service for wheelchair users whose clinician certifies they need extra help. Stretcher vans are not allowed. Members who must lie down ride by non-emergency ambulance, which needs a license from the LDH Bureau of Emergency Medical Services.

Brokers give each trip to the least costly option that fits the member, in this order: public transit, gas reimbursement drivers (friends or family paid by the mile), traditional NEMT companies like yours, and then rideshare companies, allowed since November 20, 2025. Members may pick their company, though not a rideshare company, as long as it stays the least costly option. Brokers should favor a company whose primary service region matches where the member lives. See [Louisiana adds rideshare to NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/news/louisiana-rideshare-nemt-approved/) and NEMT vs rideshare.

## Which brokers to join

You do not bill Louisiana Medicaid for rides yourself. The state's NEMT rule, LAC 50:XXVII.523, pays only for trips a contracted broker schedules, so join the broker whose members you want to drive.

### MediTrans, for Healthy Louisiana plan members

MediTrans is based in Lafayette and serves all 64 parishes with a provider network and its own fleet. Its provider hub lists these steps:

1. **Send a letter of intent.** Request the form from providers@meditrans.com and send it back with the subject "New Provider Inquiry." MediTrans says it replies within 3 to 5 business days.
2. **Clear background checks** for every driver through MediTrans's vendor, which takes 5 to 7 business days.
3. **Send insurance certificates** to docs@meditrans.com, with MediTrans as certificate holder.
4. **Upload driver and vehicle files,** from licenses and drug tests to registrations and vehicle photos.
5. **Finish the online orientation and portal training.** Trip offers start within 24 to 48 hours of activation.

MediTrans accepts providers based on how full your area is and which vehicle types it needs, and sends a letter either way. Its provider line is 1-844-349-4326.

### Verida, for fee-for-service members

Send Verida's Request for Qualifications form with a driver list and a vehicle list. If your area needs another provider, Verida calls you for an interview and asks for your business license, liability insurance, driver background checks and driving records, and drug screens for all owners and drivers. Its Louisiana provider line is 225-726-2800, and its claims line is 678-510-4600 (press 2).

### What both brokers must collect

Louisiana's manuals make each broker collect these before it assigns you a trip:

- A Disclosure of Ownership Information Form, as 42 CFR 455.104 to 455.106 require. The primary service region you list on it decides which trips you are offered first.
- An NPI in your business name. See [how to get an NPI number](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-get-an-npi-number-for-nemt/).
- IRS Form CP 575 (or Form 147C) showing your EIN, and a matching Form W-9. Use one legal name everywhere, from your Secretary of State filing to your vehicle signs.
- Any city or parish permit your area requires.

You also agree to cover every parish you sign up for, in full. Each month, the plan or broker checks for exclusions on the HHS [OIG exclusion list](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/oig-exclusion-list/), the Louisiana Adverse Actions List, and SAM. Build your file with the [NEMT credentialing checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-credentialing-checklist/).

### Enroll with Louisiana Medicaid when invited

Louisiana also enrolls the providers its health plans pay, separate from broker credentialing. Since October 2024, it has mailed invitation letters every two months to newly credentialed providers. You have 120 days from the letter to finish enrollment in the Louisiana Medicaid Provider Enrollment Portal, or your claims deny. Some businesses owe the federal application fee ($750 for 2026 applications), and Louisiana Medicaid says so by letter. Businesses already enrolled in Medicare or another state's Medicaid are exempt.

## Licenses and registrations

### Your company

Form an LLC or corporation with the Louisiana Secretary of State through geauxBIZ, the state's online business portal, which also sets up state tax accounts. Fees rise on October 1, 2026, under Act 921 of the 2026 Regular Session: LLC articles of organization go from $100 to $125, and corporation articles from $75 to $95. Card payments add a $5 fee.

File an annual report each year by the anniversary of your formation date. It costs $30, then $35 from October 1, 2026. If you get a notice of intent to revoke, you have 30 days to file.

Get your EIN from the IRS, which never charges for one, and an occupational license from your parish or city. In Jefferson Parish, the Sheriff's Office issues it. For the entity choice, see [LLC for NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/llc-for-nemt/).

### Louisiana Public Service Commission and Office of Motor Vehicles

State law, R.S. 45:181, bars carrying passengers for pay without the right driver's license and "for hire" plates. The Medicaid manuals require a "for hire," "public," or "public handicapped" plate, registered in your business name.

The Office of Motor Vehicles' Policy 124.00 (revised February 7, 2013) treats NEMT vehicles as exempt from Public Service Commission (LPSC) regulation, but the owner must hold an exempt General License Certificate (GLC) from the LPSC to get a hire passenger plate. The policy lists a plate fee of $6.25 per passenger seat, $25 minimum, and requires a Louisiana title.

| If you | You need |
|---|---|
| Carry patients to and from medical care for pay | An LPSC General License Certificate and hire passenger plates |
| Carry other paying passengers in vehicles seating 15 or fewer | LPSC passenger carrier authority (form T-75) |
| Carry riders across state lines | Federal registration through FMCSA. See [DOT numbers for NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/dot-number-for-nemt/). |

The LPSC's carrier sheet says NEMT exempt carriers are the only carriers that still need a GLC, and asks for a notarized medical exempt affidavit (sample MT-10). The sheet still names the old Department of Health and Hospitals and its former enrollment contractor, so call the LPSC Transportation Division at (888) 342-5717 or (225) 342-4439 for the current steps. For how these layers fit together, see [NEMT license requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-license-requirements/).

### City and parish permits

The Medicaid manuals require every local NEMT permit where you operate, and name two. Fees are as each office posts them in September 2026:

| Where | Permit | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans | A CPNC for each vehicle and a permit for each driver, from the Ground Transportation Bureau | $150 to issue and $150 a year to renew. NEMT CPNCs expire June 30. |
| Jefferson Parish | A company license, vehicle permits, and driver permits from Emergency Management | $450 a year for the company, $250 per vehicle, $40 per driver |

**New Orleans.** Email a notarized CPNC application, proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence, and a Louisiana ID to gtb@nola.gov by 4 p.m. on the first Friday of a hearing month. Hearings are on the fourth Friday of January, May, and September, and you must attend. Winners then have 90 days to activate each vehicle with a for-hire registration, an insurance certificate listing the city as certificate holder, a city occupational license, and a passed inspection. Applicants must live in Orleans or one of six nearby parishes, and holders keep an office and phone in Orleans Parish. Call the Bureau at (504) 658-7170.

The city's Administrative Rule 17-02, effective August 7, 2017, allows only minivans and full-size vans seating 12 or fewer, not sedans or SUVs, with the company name painted in 6-inch letters on both sides. A company with more than 10 NEMT CPNCs must make at least a quarter of the vans beyond its first 10 wheelchair accessible.

**Jefferson Parish.** Emergency Management's EMS Compliance office in Gretna inspects each vehicle and issues permits valid for one year (appointments at 504-349-5360). Vans need 3-inch lettering on both sides and the rear, an infection control kit, a first aid kit, a CPR mask, and a backup alarm. Drivers need a Class D license, a Louisiana State Police background check, a CPR and first aid card under two years old, and a defensive driving certificate under one year old. The parish refuses owners and drivers with a felony conviction.

## Vehicle rules

The broker inspects and photographs each vehicle before it carries a Medicaid member and every year after, then puts its dated decal on it. At the vents, air conditioning must read 52 degrees or cooler and heat 100 degrees or warmer. LDH and the broker can also make unannounced checks, and you cannot refuse one.

Every vehicle needs:

- A windshield in good condition and a current Louisiana inspection sticker.
- A plate with a current registration sticker, and the VIN visible.
- The registration and insurance card inside.
- Working heat and air conditioning in the front and the rear, and working seat belts.
- A seat belt cutter within the driver's reach and a secured fire extinguisher with its gauge in range.
- Professional signs with your company name, phone number, and vehicle number on both sides, and on the back of a van. No hand-written or spray-painted signs, and none on windows. See NEMT vehicle signage.

You must own or lease each vehicle, registered in your company's name. Stretcher vans, two-door vehicles, pickup trucks, and salvage title vehicles are not allowed, and you cannot share vehicles with another NEMT company, even one with the same owner. Tell the broker before you add a vehicle, and send its registration and updated insurance so it can be inspected first.

[Wheelchair accessible vehicles](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/wheelchair-accessible-vehicle/) must meet ADA rules, with a ramp or lift, four-point tie-downs, and lap and shoulder belts. The inspector checks the lift and its backup and photographs a secured wheelchair. Use the [vehicle inspection checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-vehicle-inspection-checklist/) before each inspection.

## Driver rules and training

The managed care manual, updated May 28, 2026, bars a driver from plan trips who:

- Is under 21, or has no valid Class D license or CDL.
- Has more than two moving violations in the past three years. The broker checks each driver's official driving record every month.
- Has ever been convicted of driving under the influence or of refusing a chemical test, or must use an ignition interlock. This is permanent.
- Has a conviction for a crime barred under R.S. 40:1203.1 to 40:1203.7, unless pardoned or expunged.
- Fails a drug screen, until a substance abuse professional clears them. The driver then takes three follow-up screens within six months.

The fee-for-service manual, issued July 14, 2025, still uses an older rule: fewer than three moving violations and no DWI conviction in the past three years. Hire to the stricter plan rule so every driver can take every trip. Every year, each driver needs a criminal history check by the Louisiana State Police, an agency it authorizes, or the FBI, and a five-panel drug screen, with both results sent straight to the plan or its broker. See NEMT driver background checks.

Drivers finish this training before their first Medicaid trip:

| Course | Renew |
|---|---|
| Defensive driving, 4 hours or more | Every 3 years |
| CPR, in person, with a licensed instructor | Keep it active |
| Child passenger restraint systems | Every year |
| Wheelchair securement and PASS | Every 2 years |
| HIPAA privacy and security | No interval set |
| For ELOC: NEMTAC mobility device securement and Certified Transport Specialist, passenger assistance, and disability awareness | Every year |

If your fleet has any wheelchair vehicle, every driver takes securement training in person. See [PASS certification](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/pass-certification/).

On the job, drivers take no alcohol within four hours before duty and no marijuana, medical or not, while in control of a vehicle. They make no personal stops, touch a rider only when asked for help or on ELOC trips, and give door-to-door help on request. Service animals ride free. Keep each driver's records with the [driver file checklist](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-driver-file-checklist/).

## Trip rules and how you get paid

The state sets these standards for every trip:

| Rule | Standard |
|---|---|
| Arrival | At least 15 minutes and no more than two hours before the appointment |
| Return pickup | Within two hours after the visit ends or after a [will-call](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/will-call-trip/) request, during office hours |
| Ride time | No more than one hour beyond the estimated travel time |
| Hospital discharge | Within three hours of the facility's call, or two hours after the scheduled discharge, whichever is later |

If you arrive before the office opens, stay with the member until it does. If you cannot run a trip, tell the broker at once. Never ask a member to change an appointment, and do not turn down local trips to take long ones, which can cost you trips.

MediTrans has you wait 15 minutes at a home and 20 minutes at a facility, then call the member and dispatch before you mark a [no-show](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/no-show/). A scheduled trip where no member rides is not billable. You cannot charge anyone for extra riders, and Medicaid pays nothing for them.

Keep an electronic daily trip log with the trip number, the member's name, Medicaid ID, address, and full signature, the destination, the real departure and arrival times, the driver's name and license number, and the VIN. You and your drivers may never sign for a member, and the broker matches every claim to the log. Use a [trip log](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-trip-log-template/). After a crash with a member aboard, report it within 72 hours, with a driver drug screen taken within 12 hours.

### What Louisiana pays

Your rate is in your broker contract. Both manuals set the floor at the published fee-for-service rate on the date of service, unless your provider agreement says otherwise. The fee schedule effective October 1, 2025 pays per trip leg, with mileage from mile zero:

| Code | Service | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| [T2003](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/t2003/) | Ambulatory trip | $13.50 plus $1.10 a mile |
| [A0130](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/a0130/) | Wheelchair van | $21.50 plus $1.30 a mile |
| A0130 | Wheelchair van, ELOC | $31.50 plus $1.30 a mile |
| A0090 | Gas reimbursement | $0.36 a mile |

ELOC trips need a clinician's certification, good for up to 180 days. Act 969 of the 2026 Regular Session tells LDH to set a minimum of $14.50 per trip and $2.10 per mile, and to pay shared rides by passenger count. Those sections take effect only when the Legislature funds them, and LDH then has 90 days to act. As of September 29, 2026, the posted fee schedule still shows the October 1, 2025 rates.

Claims are due within 365 days. MediTrans wants trip records within 24 hours and pays clean claims every other Friday. See [how to bill NEMT brokers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-bill-nemt-brokers/).

A separate bonus funded by the American Rescue Plan Act pays fully credentialed providers in the health plans' networks $500 a month per vehicle, up to three vehicles, if they ran a Medicaid round trip on at least 20 days of the prior month. CMS's July 27, 2026 approval covers July 1 through September 30, 2026. See the end of Louisiana's per-vehicle payments.

### If a claim is denied

LDH's Informational Bulletin 21-02, revised September 8, 2026, sets the order:

1. **Ask the broker to reconsider** within 180 days of the remittance or denial. It decides within 30 days.
2. **Appeal to the broker** within 90 days of that decision (180 days for Louisiana Healthcare Connections trips).
3. **Escalate** to the health plan, then to LDH at MedicaidTransportation@la.gov.
4. **Ask for an outside review** under R.S. 46:460.81, through the plan within 180 days and then LDH within 60 days of the plan's decision. It costs $750, paid by whichever side loses.

See [how to appeal a denied claim](https://nemtguide.com/guides/appeal-denied-nemt-claim/).

## Insurance requirements

Louisiana's rule, LAC 50:XXVII.517, and the managed care manual set a floor. MediTrans asks for more:

| Coverage | Louisiana minimum | MediTrans |
|---|---|---|
| Auto liability | $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage, or $300,000 combined | $1,000,000 per occurrence |
| General liability | Where a local law requires it, and for ELOC service | Required |
| Workers' compensation | As Louisiana law requires | Required, or an approved waiver |

The auto policy must cover owned, hired, and non-owned vehicles (symbol 1, symbols 7, 8, and 9, or symbols 2, 8, and 9). The certificate must say the coverage is for a NEMT vehicle and name LDH as an additional insured on auto and general liability, and the policy must give the plan or broker 30 days' notice of cancellation. The state wants renewal proof 48 hours before coverage ends and suspends your enrollment the day it lapses. Verida asks for insurers rated A- or better, and its provider relations manager gives its limits. See [NEMT insurance requirements](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-insurance-requirements/).

Local permits add their own minimums:

| Where | Auto liability | General liability |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans CPNC | $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property, or $75,000 combined | $100,000 |
| Jefferson Parish | $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property | $300,000 per occurrence and in total |

New Orleans's older Rule 17-02 lists higher CPNC limits: $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident, $50,000 property, and $300,000 general liability. Ask the Ground Transportation Bureau which it applies before you buy, or carry the higher limits.

Louisiana requires workers' compensation even with one employee, part-time or seasonal included. A sole owner with no employees of any kind may not need it, and owners of at least 10 percent can exclude themselves in writing to the insurer. Louisiana issues no exemption certificates, but MediTrans has a waiver form for owner-operators without employees. See workers' comp for NEMT.

## What it costs and how long it takes

These are the fees the state and local offices set as of September 2026. Vans, insurance premiums, and equipment 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 articles of organization | $100, or $125 from October 1, 2026 | Secretary of State |
| Annual report | $30, or $35 from October 1, 2026 | Secretary of State |
| Hire passenger plate | $6.25 per seat, $25 minimum (2013 policy) | Office of Motor Vehicles |
| Medicaid enrollment fee, if billed | $750 for 2026 | Louisiana Medicaid |
| New Orleans CPNC | $150, then $150 a year, plus $50 per vehicle inspection | City of New Orleans |
| Jefferson Parish permits | $450 company, $250 per vehicle, $40 per driver | Jefferson Parish |

A workable order, from first call to first trip:

1. **Ask MediTrans or Verida** which parishes and vehicle types need providers now.
2. **Form your company**, then get your EIN, an NPI, and your occupational license.
3. **Buy insurance** that meets the broker's limits, with LDH as additional insured.
4. **Get your LPSC certificate**, then plate each vehicle in your company's name.
5. **Apply for local permits** if you will drive in New Orleans or Jefferson Parish.
6. **Equip your vehicles and hire drivers** who meet the plan rules.
7. **Finish the broker's steps:** background checks, uploads, inspection, and training.
8. **Enroll with Louisiana Medicaid** within 120 days of the state's invitation letter.

MediTrans puts onboarding at 2 to 4 weeks from the letter of intent. In New Orleans, the three CPNC hearings a year set the pace. 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

Three other sources of rides are worth a call.

- **Rural transit.** The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) funds rural public transit under federal Section 5311, and those local operators may subcontract with private providers. Section 5310 funds nonprofits that have served older and disabled riders for at least a year. FY 2027-2028 applications are due November 1, 2026. DOTD Public Transportation is at 225-379-3060.
- **Veterans.** The VA pays for special mode transportation, a specially equipped vehicle, when a VA provider decides a veteran's condition requires it and the trip is approved in advance. Ask the beneficiary travel office at your nearest VA medical center how it books these rides.
- **Facilities and private pay.** Dialysis centers, hospitals, senior living communities, and riders who pay for themselves add work that does not depend on one broker. OMV's definition of a NEMT vehicle covers rides the patient pays for, too. Medicaid discharges still go through the broker. See [how to get NEMT facility contracts](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-get-nemt-facility-contracts/), and [private pay NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/private-pay-nemt/).

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need a license to run a NEMT business in Louisiana?

Yes, several. State law requires for-hire plates on every vehicle that carries paying passengers. Under its Policy 124.00, the Office of Motor Vehicles issues a hire passenger plate to a NEMT vehicle only when the owner holds a General License Certificate from the Louisiana Public Service Commission for exempt medical carriers. New Orleans also requires a CPNC for each vehicle and a permit for each driver, and Jefferson Parish requires its own company, vehicle, and driver permits.

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

As of September 2026, the Louisiana Department of Health lists MediTrans as the transportation broker for all five Healthy Louisiana plans: Aetna Better Health, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, Healthy Blue, Humana Healthy Horizons, and Louisiana Healthcare Connections. Verida arranges rides for fee-for-service members and for groups left out of managed care. Healthy Blue leaves on December 31, 2026, and its members move to the other four plans.

### Do I enroll with Louisiana Medicaid to give NEMT rides?

You contract with a broker first. State rules pay for NEMT only when a contracted broker schedules the trip. Louisiana also enrolls the providers its health plans pay. Every two months it mails invitation letters to newly credentialed providers, and you have 120 days from the letter to finish enrollment in the Louisiana Medicaid Provider Enrollment Portal, or your claims deny.

### How much does Louisiana Medicaid pay for NEMT?

The fee schedule effective October 1, 2025 pays $13.50 per trip leg plus $1.10 a mile for an ambulatory trip (T2003), $21.50 plus $1.30 a mile for a wheelchair van (A0130), and $31.50 plus $1.30 a mile for ELOC, the state's door-through-door wheelchair service. Plans and their broker must pay at least these rates unless your contract sets a different rate. Mileage counts from mile zero.

### Can I use a stretcher van for NEMT in Louisiana?

No. Both Louisiana Medicaid manuals list stretcher vans as a vehicle type that is not allowed for NEMT. Members who must travel lying down ride by non-emergency ambulance, which requires a license from the LDH Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and a Certification of Ambulance Transportation form for each member.

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

MediTrans says onboarding usually takes 2 to 4 weeks from your letter of intent to activation, with background checks taking 5 to 7 business days. Add time for your company filing, insurance, and plates. In New Orleans, new CPNCs are granted only at hearings in January, May, and September, so plan around those months.

### Can rideshare companies take Louisiana Medicaid trips?

Yes, since November 20, 2025, under state plan amendment LA-25-0017, which CMS approved on December 12, 2025. State rules put rideshare companies last in the order brokers use to assign trips, after public transit, gas reimbursement drivers, and traditional NEMT companies. ELOC trips, the state's door-through-door wheelchair service, still go only to fully credentialed NEMT companies.

## Official resources

- [Louisiana Department of Health: NEMT provider resources and broker contacts](https://ldh.la.gov/medicaid/medical-transportation-provider-resources)
- [Louisiana Department of Health: Medicaid Managed Care Organization Manual](https://ldh.la.gov/assets/medicaid/Manuals/MCO_Manual.pdf)
- [MediTrans: Transportation Providers Hub](https://meditrans.com/transportation-providers/)
- [Verida: Louisiana transportation providers](https://verida.com/louisiana-providers/)
- [Louisiana Medicaid: NEMT fee schedules](https://www.lamedicaid.com/provweb1/fee_schedules/NEMT_Fee.htm)
- [Louisiana Medicaid: Provider enrollment status lookup](https://www.lamedicaid.com/portalenrollmentstatus/search)
- [Louisiana Public Service Commission: Motor carrier regulations and applications](https://lpsc.louisiana.gov/Carrier_Regs)
- [Louisiana Secretary of State: Start a business](https://www.sos.la.gov/business-services/start-a-business)
- [Louisiana Workforce Commission: Workers' compensation coverage for employers](https://www.laworks.net/FAQs/FAQ_WorkComp_EmployerCoverage.asp)
- [IRS: Get an employer identification number](https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number)