Healthcare organizations have invested heavily in modernizing clinical systems, payment models, and digital infrastructure. Yet one critical piece of the care journey still sits largely outside of those systems: transportation. For millions of patients, especially Medicaid members, older adults, and rural populations, getting to care remains one of the most common barriers.
Despite the scale and importance of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT), it is rarely treated as part of the healthcare system’s core infrastructure. Instead, it often operates through fragmented networks of brokers, call centers, and transportation providers with limited integration into healthcare operations. The result is a persistent gap between care that is scheduled and care that actually happens.
In this Becker’s Payer Issues article, Elizabeth Jepsen explores why transportation should be viewed not simply as a service, but as an operational layer that supports access, accountability, and coordination across the healthcare system.
Limited visibility into transportation networks makes it difficult for health plans and healthcare organizations to verify trips, monitor performance, and ensure members reliably reach care. As a result, many healthcare leaders are beginning to rethink transportation strategy and consider how better coordination and visibility can strengthen access to care.