Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) in Los Angeles, Orange & Kern Counties

NEMT stands for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation. It provides safe, scheduled transport for patients who cannot drive themselves or use public transportation due to medical conditions, physical limitations, or mobility challenges. Unlike ambulance transport, NEMT is for stable patients who do not require medical monitoring during transit.

West Coast Ambulance provides five core NEMT services: wheelchair transportation, stretcher transportation, dialysis transportation, bariatric transportation, and hospital discharge transport, plus out-of-area transfers (see our long-distance transport page). All services are staffed by employed crews with clinical training.

Yes. West Coast Ambulance accepts Medi-Cal, Medicare, and most private insurance for qualified NEMT services. Our billing team verifies coverage before transport so you know your expected cost upfront. Visit our Insurance & Billing page for details or call 800-880-0556.

Yes. Medi-Cal covers Non-Emergency Medical Transportation for eligible beneficiaries when transport is to or from a covered Medi-Cal service and is medically necessary. Eligible patients must have no other means of transportation available. West Coast Ambulance is a Medi-Cal enrolled NEMT provider and handles prior authorization on your behalf. Call 800-880-0556 to verify your eligibility before your appointment.

West Coast Ambulance provides NEMT services across Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Kern County. We operate from base stations in Burbank, Lancaster, Bakersfield, Baldwin Park, and Orange, providing coverage to communities across those three counties.

You can schedule NEMT transport by calling our 24/7 dispatch at 800-880-0556, submitting an online request form, or having your facility or case manager place the order directly. We accommodate both scheduled and same-day transport requests.

To book NEMT in Los Angeles, call West Coast Ambulance 24/7 at 800-880-0556 or submit an online transport request. We serve communities across Los Angeles County — including downtown LA, Burbank, Pasadena, and Long Beach. Healthcare facilities and discharge coordinators can set up a direct billing account by calling our dispatch line.

NEMT is for non-emergency medical trips where the patient is stable but unable to use personal or public transportation. It includes wheelchair vans and stretcher vehicles. Ambulance transport (BLS, SCT, CCT) is for patients who require medical monitoring, oxygen, or clinical intervention during transit. West Coast Ambulance provides both — learn more about our ambulance services.

NEMT cost depends on the type of transport, distance, and your insurance coverage. Medi-Cal-covered trips are at no cost to eligible patients. Medicare and most private insurance plans also cover qualifying NEMT trips. Self-pay rates are available for patients without coverage. West Coast Ambulance verifies your insurance before every transport — call 800-880-0556 or visit our Pricing Guide for details.

Medicare Part B covers ambulance transport when it is medically necessary and the patient's condition requires it. Standard NEMT (wheelchair and stretcher transport to routine appointments) is generally not covered by Original Medicare, but many Medicare Advantage plans include NEMT benefits. West Coast Ambulance will verify your specific plan's coverage before scheduling transport. Call 800-880-0556 to check eligibility.

NEMT is provided by trained medical transport crews in vehicles equipped for patient care — including wheelchair lifts, stretcher mounts, and safety restraints meeting medical standards. Rideshare services are general-purpose transportation with no medical training, no specialized equipment, and no insurance billing capability. For patients with mobility limitations, post-procedure needs, or any medical condition requiring safe transfer, NEMT is the appropriate and often insurance-covered choice.

Yes. Hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, dialysis centers, and other healthcare organizations can establish direct billing accounts with West Coast Ambulance for recurring transport needs. We work with discharge coordinators, case managers, and facility administrators to streamline scheduling, documentation, and billing. Call 800-880-0556 or visit our For Facilities page to get started.

West Coast Ambulance operates base stations in Burbank, Lancaster, Bakersfield, Baldwin Park, and Orange, giving us crews positioned across communities in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and Kern County. If you are unsure whether your pickup address is inside our coverage area, call 800-880-0556 and dispatch will confirm before you book, or browse our service areas.

Yes. Our dispatch center is staffed 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including weekends and holidays. You can book transport in advance for any day, and same-day requests are accommodated based on availability. Call 800-880-0556 at any hour.

Booking ahead is always best, especially for recurring trips such as dialysis or for early-morning appointments, because it lets us assign a consistent crew and vehicle to your ride. That said, we accept same-day requests and will do our best to accommodate short-notice discharges and appointments. Call 800-880-0556 or submit an online transport request.

The choice depends on whether the patient can safely sit upright for the duration of the trip. Patients who can remain seated typically travel by wheelchair van, while non-ambulatory patients who must travel lying down use stretcher transport. Patients who need clinical monitoring during transit require ambulance-level service instead. Our dispatchers ask a short set of questions when you call and will recommend the right vehicle for the patient's condition.

Yes. Our wheelchair transports include door-through-door assistance, meaning the crew meets the patient at the door rather than waiting at the curb, and assists to and from the vehicle. If the pickup location has stairs, a narrow doorway, or other access challenges, mention it when you book so we can send the appropriate crew and equipment.

It depends on how the trip is being paid for. Insurance-covered trips, including Medi-Cal and many managed care plans, generally require documentation of medical necessity, and our billing team helps obtain the required authorization. Self-pay and facility-billed trips typically do not. Call 800-880-0556 and we will tell you exactly what your specific coverage requires before your appointment.

A Physician Certification Statement (PCS) is a form completed by a physician or other authorized provider documenting why a patient's medical condition requires non-emergency medical transportation rather than ordinary transportation. Under California's Medi-Cal program, a PCS is generally required to establish medical necessity for NEMT and to identify the level of transport needed, such as a wheelchair van or a stretcher vehicle. West Coast Ambulance works with your physician's office or facility to obtain the PCS before transport. Call 800-880-0556 and our billing team will walk you through what your specific plan requires.

Yes. West Coast Ambulance provides wheelchair, stretcher, and dialysis non-emergency medical transportation throughout Long Beach and the surrounding South Bay and Gateway Cities communities, including trips to and from Long Beach hospitals, dialysis centers, skilled nursing facilities, and private residences. See our Long Beach medical transportation page or call 800-880-0556 to schedule.

Yes. West Coast Ambulance serves West Hollywood and the surrounding Beverly Grove area. Much of West Hollywood is high-rise condominium and assisted living housing, so our crews plan ahead for building access, elevator dimensions, and gurney clearance through interior corridors. Tell dispatch the floor, the elevator size if you know it, and whether there is loading-zone or garage access, and we will send the appropriate vehicle and crew. Call 800-880-0556 or see our West Hollywood service area page.

In most cases yes — one family member or caregiver may accompany the patient, subject to available seating in the assigned vehicle and the space required for the patient's equipment. Tell dispatch when you book so the right vehicle is assigned. Ride-along space cannot be guaranteed if it is requested after the crew has already been dispatched.

Yes, but the correct level of service depends on the patient's needs. A patient who travels with their own portable oxygen and manages it independently can often be transported by wheelchair van or stretcher vehicle. A patient who needs oxygen administered, titrated, or clinically monitored during the trip requires ambulance-level transport with a licensed crew, such as our BLS ambulance service. Describe the patient's oxygen needs when you call 800-880-0556 and dispatch will assign the appropriate vehicle and crew.

Return trips are common for dialysis, infusion, imaging, and outpatient procedures, and appointments frequently run past their scheduled end time. Return legs are typically arranged as a will-call pickup: when the patient is ready, the patient, a family member, or facility staff calls dispatch at 800-880-0556 and we assign the next available unit. Tell us at booking whether you need a round trip so the return leg is on our schedule from the start. If your appointment runs long, call dispatch rather than assuming the trip has been cancelled.