Medicaid is state-funded insurance that provides medical care to low-income families. Many of the people who are on this medical program do not have their own vehicles or transportation to and from doctor visits, and medical treatment centers.
Each state hires people to drive Medicaid recipients to their medical appointments. You will have to be 19 years of age or older to apply for this job in the state of Texas.
Applying to become a Medicaid Transportation Provider in Texas
There are a few things you have to do before you can start transporting Medicaid patients to and from their medical appointments. A transportation provider must:
- Be at least 19 years of age
- Have a valid drivers’ license and no tickets or citations
- Complete and submit a contact information page
- Complete and submit a payment form
- Complete and submit an enrollment application form
- Complete disclosure of ownership concerning the vehicle that will be used
- Have current insurance on the vehicle that will be used
- Have current tags and registration on the vehicle that will be used
- Pass a background check
Pay a fee
There is a fee for you to apply and process your application. This fee will not be refunded if you do not get certified as a transportation provider.
Family
Friends and family members of specific Medicaid patients can apply to drive only their family members to medical appointments. These transportation providers will be given an allotment to pay for the gasoline cost and parking cost of the trip to the doctor or medical offices.
These providers are not paid an hourly wage. They are simply reimbursed for the money it takes to make the trip to the medical center.
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Non-family
Non-family transportation providers can be called by the Medicaid office and be assigned patients to take to their medical appointments. These transportation providers receive compensation for the fuel they use, parking costs, and hourly compensation for the time they spend driving the patient, and waiting for the patient at medical office appointments.
Paperwork
There is extensive paperwork involved in transportation drivers. You have to keep a mileage log on your vehicle to show the miles traveled. The state pays transportation a certain amount of money for each mile they travel so these mileage logs are very important.
You will have to get signatures of the patients you transport showing that they rode to an appointment with you. In some cases, you will need to get parking validation from the medical offices, or the parking lot where you parked waiting for the patient.
You will need to keep all gas receipts, and the receipts for any car repairs or essentials like oil, tires, and such.
You will need to show proof of insurance and your insurance will have to include personal injury protection for your passengers. This is very important.
Benefits
A transportation driver receives monetary benefits for their time and effort. They also have the knowledge that they are helping someone who is in great need get the medical attention they require. This is a rewarding job but it is not the right job for everyone.
Characteristics
A transportation provider must be:
- Patient
- Calm and collected
- Friendly
- Caring and compassionate
- Organized
- A person who is on time
- A good driver with a good car that is safe to ride in
Being a transportation driver for your own family is different because you are emotionally invested with the patient. When you drive patients that are not related to you it gives you an opportunity to make new friends.
