What Medicare covers
Original Medicare covers ambulance transportation, not rides. Part B covers a ground ambulance to the nearest appropriate medical facility when traveling in any other vehicle could endanger your health. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible. For scheduled, repeated non-emergency ambulance trips, Medicare.gov says a demonstration now lets ambulance companies nationwide ask Medicare for prior authorization.
NC Medicaid rides through your county DSS
NC Medicaid's Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) gets members to Medicaid appointments: doctor and specialist visits, picking up prescriptions, mental health appointments and substance use treatment. Accessible rides are available, and a caregiver can ride with you.
- Find your county DSS. If you have Medicare and full NC Medicaid, you're in NC Medicaid Direct, and your local Department of Social Services schedules rides. Use the NCDHHS local DSS directory.
- Call at least four days ahead. NC Medicaid Direct members should ask at least four days before the appointment. Urgent trips, such as leaving the hospital or going to the pharmacy, don't need advance notice.
- Have your details ready. The appointment date and time, the address, the provider's name, and whether you need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.
- Report problems. If a ride is late or doesn't come, contact your county DSS to fix it or file a complaint.
MQB alone, North Carolina's Medicare Savings Program, pays Medicare costs and doesn't include Medicaid rides. For an emergency, call 911.
Transportation for people 60 and older
The NC Division of Aging doesn't drive anyone itself, but it funds local providers to offer transportation for people 60 and older: general trips to senior centers, shopping and pharmacies, and medical trips to doctors' offices, hospitals and clinics. NCDHHS posts a transportation provider directory and a medical transportation provider directory, and your area agency on aging can point you to services in your county.
Medicare Advantage
Medicare Advantage plans may offer extra benefits such as dental, vision, hearing or fitness. Extra benefits vary by plan and county, may have limits and costs, and not every plan offers them. Check a plan's Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage. If rides matter to you, look there for any transportation benefit and its rules.
Fewer trips
Through December 31, 2027, Medicare covers telehealth from anywhere in the U.S., including your home, which can save a long drive in rural and mountain counties; see rural and mountain Medicare in North Carolina. A licensed insurance agent who works with Benefits Life can explain how transportation fits with your coverage, at no cost to you. You can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related questions
Does Medicare cover home health care?
Skilled care at home.
Does Medicare cover mental health care?
Counseling, telehealth and 988.
Can I keep my doctor with Medicare?
Networks, assignment and the State Health Plan.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Ambulance services
- NC Medicaid — Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) (modified Sept. 28, 2026)
- NCDHHS — Local DSS directory
- NCDHHS Division of Aging — Transportation Services
- NCDHHS — North Carolina Area Agencies on Aging map
- Medicare.gov — Telehealth
More questions in this guide
- Can I keep my doctor when I go on Medicare in North Carolina?
- Does Medicare cover assisted living in North Carolina?
- Does Medicare cover dental in North Carolina?
- Does Medicare cover eye exams and glasses in North Carolina?
- Does Medicare cover hearing aids in North Carolina?
- Does Medicare cover home health care in North Carolina?
- Does Medicare cover mental health care in North Carolina?
- Does Medicare cover nursing home care in North Carolina?
Part of the guide: Medicare basics for North Carolinians · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare pay for a ride to my doctor's office?
Not with Original Medicare, unless you need an ambulance. Medicare may cover a non-emergency ambulance ride if your doctor writes an order saying it's medically necessary, for example for some people going to dialysis. If the ambulance company thinks Medicare may not pay, it must give you an Advance Beneficiary Notice first.
I have Medicare and NC Medicaid. Who do I call for a ride?
People with Medicare and full NC Medicaid are in NC Medicaid Direct, so you call your local Department of Social Services. NC Medicaid asks NC Medicaid Direct members to request a ride at least four days before the appointment. If you're not sure which program you're in, the NC Medicaid Enrollment Broker at 1-833-870-5500 can tell you.
Can a family member drive me and get paid back?
Possibly. NC Medicaid says that if you drive yourself or a family member or friend drives you to a Medicaid appointment, you might get money back for travel costs. The rules differ by program, so ask your county DSS before the trip.
Medicare in your North Carolina county
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