Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) is a crucial benefit for many health plans, ensuring that their members can access medical care. However, NEMT has a history of poor service, resulting in member complaints, grievances, and retention issues for health plans. To effectively provide NEMT benefits, health plans must carefully select the right NEMT broker. This article will outline three tips that health plans should evaluate when choosing a NEMT broker. Ensure the NEMT broker:
1. Developed Advanced Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Technology
- Determine the technological capabilities of the NEMT broker. Look for brokers who leverage advanced systems for efficient scheduling and dispatching.
- Find out if they employ real-time GPS tracking for rides, covering all modes of transportation and not just rideshare. Compare the level of digitization with that of other NEMT brokers.
- Consider NEMT brokers that provide member mobile applications or online portals, enabling members to schedule rides, track their transportation, and receive reminders, notifications, and updates. Ensure they can brand the mobile app to your health plan.
- Assess the broker’s ability to integrate with health plan systems or electronic health records, facilitating seamless data exchange and care coordination.
2. Prioritizes Network Adequacy and Provider Relations
- Assess the broker’s network of transportation providers. Ensure they either have a large network that covers your market or have processes to onboard new providers and meet network adequacy before the contract goes live. Understand how they determine network adequacy and the processes they use to handle rural or remote markets with few drivers.
- Verify that the NEMT broker has programs and processes to build solid relationships with reliable transportation providers. Look into the payment schedule, clean claim rate, and denial rate. Providers who are paid quickly and accurately provide better and more reliable services.
- Investigate the added value they provide to their transportation providers. Perhaps they offer discount programs, incentives, or free consulting. Find out if they survey their transportation providers and compare the scores with those of other NEMT brokers.
3. Focuses on Quality Assurance and Performance
- Evaluate their ability to capture and analyze member feedback, address complaints or issues promptly, and continuously improve service delivery. Look into how they recover trips if the driver is running late or if the vehicle breaks down.
- Consider brokers that can provide comprehensive reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs), such as on-time performance, missed trips, call wait times, call abandonment, and member satisfaction. Compare these KPIs with the performance of other NEMT brokers.
- Ensure they have programs designed to reward transportation providers who exceed performance expectations and understand their processes for managing underperforming providers.
- Inquire about the NEMT broker’s quality assurance processes and performance monitoring systems. Ensure they have mechanisms in place to regularly report and assess the quality of the transportation services provided.
Selecting the right Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) broker is crucial for health plans to ensure efficient and reliable transportation services for their members. By following these three tips, health plans can make informed decisions that align with their members’ needs and provide exceptional NEMT benefits. A strong partnership with a reputable NEMT broker will enhance member satisfaction, streamline operations, and contribute to the overall success of the health plan’s transportation services.
About Alivi
Alivi is a non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) broker using innovative processes, the latest technology, and a caring staff to lead the NEMT industry in performance. For instance, our goal for missed trips is <0.2% and Alivi proudly achieves a record low of 0.07%. Alivi’s technology features real-time GPS monitoring, enabling live tracking to avoid unnecessary delays and missed trips. Join Alivi’s network as a transportation provider and be part of our diverse team, including Commercial Transportation Providers, Transportation Network Companies (e.g., Uber, Lyft), Mass Transit, Mileage Reimbursement Programs, and more. Learn more about Alivi’s Transportation Benefits.
