Medicaid Transportation in Arkansas: Eligibility, Brokers, and Rides

Medicaid transportation in Arkansas is provided free of charge through the Non-Emergency Transportation (NET) program for eligible beneficiaries who have no other way to reach a covered medical appointment. You call the regional broker assigned to your county at least 72 hours before the appointment, explain why you need the ride, and the broker arranges pickup and drop-off at no cost. The program is run by the Arkansas Department of Human Services and operated by four brokers across seven regions.¹

Who Qualifies for a Free Ride

NET is open to Arkansans enrolled in traditional Medicaid or ARKids First Plan A. Pregnant women with Presumptive Eligibility (PE-PW) are covered for prenatal and pregnancy-related outpatient visits.² ARHOME members (Medicaid expansion) qualify too, but with a limit: up to eight one-way trip legs per calendar year, with an extension available on request once that allotment runs out. ARHOME members are also restricted to providers inside their network plan.³

Several groups are excluded from NET altogether:

Nursing home residents
Residents of intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID)
Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMB)
ARKids First Plan B recipients

If you’re in a Provider-led Arkansas Shared Savings Entity (PASSE) managed care plan, you still get NET through the state program rather than your PASSE plan. Non-emergency transportation is specifically carved out of what PASSE plans manage.⁴

One condition applies to everyone: NET is a last resort. You’re expected to try friends, family, or another ride first, and the broker will ask why you can’t get there on your own before scheduling.¹

What Trips Are Covered

NET takes you to and from any Medicaid-covered medical service. That includes primary care visits, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, dialysis, and anything else billed to Medicaid. For traditional Medicaid enrollees there is no cap on trips or miles, and no copay.¹

How to Book a Ride

All scheduling is done by phone through your regional broker. There is no online booking. Brokers answer calls Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding state holidays.²

Find your broker. Use the DHS regional NET map or call the NET Helpline at 1-888-987-1200, option 1, to confirm which broker serves your county.
Call at least 72 hours before your appointment. That means three full business days; weekends and state holidays don’t count. This 72-hour rule took effect January 1, 2026.²
Have your information ready: Medicaid ID number, reason for the ride, the provider’s name, address, and phone number, and the appointment date and time.
Write down the pickup time and confirmation number the broker gives you.

If you have recurring appointments such as weekly dialysis, ask the broker to set up a standing schedule so you don’t have to book each trip separately.²

If the Appointment Is Outside Your Region

Rides to a provider outside your assigned region need a referral from your primary care physician. The doctor sends that referral directly to the NET broker before transportation is arranged.³

Urgent Medical Situations

When a doctor decides you need care right away and 72 hours’ notice isn’t possible, the physician can call the broker directly and designate the request as an “urgent medical situation.” That skips the normal scheduling window.¹

Regional Brokers and Phone Numbers

Arkansas is divided into seven NET regions, each served by one broker. The four organizations currently under contract are Verida (formerly Southeastrans), ModivCare, the Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC), and the Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas.¹

Verida — Regions A, B, C, and D

Verida covers the north, east, and western tiers of the state:⁵

Region A, 888-833-4136: Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion, Searcy, and Washington counties.
Region B, 888-833-4128: Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Sharp, Stone, Van Buren, White, and Woodruff counties.
Region C, 888-833-4130: Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Greene, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, Randolph, and St. Francis counties.
Region D, 888-822-6155: Conway, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Perry, Polk, Pope, Scott, Sebastian, and Yell counties.

CADC — Region E

The Central Arkansas Development Council serves 18 counties in the south and southwest: Calhoun, Clark, Columbia, Dallas, Garland, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Montgomery, Nevada, Ouachita, Pike, Saline, Sevier, and Union.⁶

Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas — Region F

Also known as SEAT, this broker covers 14 southeastern counties: Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew, Grant, Jefferson, Lee, Lincoln, Monroe, Phillips, and Prairie. Schedule at 1-800-285-1131.⁷

ModivCare — Region G

ModivCare handles Pulaski, Faulkner, and Lonoke counties, effective January 2, 2026. The scheduling number is 888-833-4135.⁸ Two other lines are useful: “Where’s My Ride” at 866-854-8855 for late or missing pickups, and a facility line at 866-854-8882 for healthcare providers coordinating recurring rides.⁹

Getting Paid Back for Driving Yourself

Instead of a broker-arranged ride, some beneficiaries can get fuel or mileage reimbursement for driving themselves or being driven by someone else. Verida’s Arkansas member page has a gas reimbursement form for details.⁵ ModivCare’s mileage reimbursement rate is 67 cents per mile as of January 1, 2024, matching the IRS rate. To get paid, get a trip number when you schedule, record it on a mileage reimbursement form, have the provider sign the form at the appointment, and mail it in.¹⁰

When a Ride Doesn’t Show Up

If your scheduled ride never arrives, DHS says to do three things: call the broker to report it, call the NET Helpline at 1-888-987-1200, and let your healthcare provider know. Brokers are required to arrive on time and to notify you and your doctor if they’re running late. Drivers only have to wait 15 minutes for a passenger before leaving, so be ready at the pickup time.¹

For formal complaints, AFMC runs the Medicaid complaint process. Call 888-987-1200 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., or fax 501-375-1201, or mail the Beneficiary Relations Specialist at AFMC, 1020 West 4th Street, Suite 300, Little Rock, AR 72201. AFMC also has an online complaint form with a specific option for transportation issues.¹¹ AFMC staff investigate the complaint and work with you toward a resolution, and the Division of Medical Services conducts periodic on-site reviews of brokers.³

1
Arkansas Department of Human Services. NET Non-Emergency Transportation
2
AFMC. Non-Emergency Transportation
3
AFMC Medicaid. Non-Emergency Transportation
4
Arkansas Department of Human Services. PASSE Beneficiary Support
5
Verida. Arkansas Members
6
Arkansas General Assembly. NET Broker Region E Assignment
7
Arkansas 211. Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Arkansas
8
AFMC. NET Program Updates
9
Modivcare. Arkansas Facilities
10
Modivcare. Mileage Reimbursement
11
AFMC. Medicaid Complaint Hotline