How to start a NEMT business in Minnesota: STS certification, payers, and enrollment
Minnesota has no single NEMT broker. Health plans arrange rides for most Medical Assistance members. For fee-for-service members, counties and Tribes arrange car, taxi, and assisted rides, and DHS pays enrolled providers directly for wheelchair, stretcher, and protected rides. Every provider needs a MnDOT special transportation service (STS) certificate and an MHCP enrollment, and every driver enrolls individually. DHS is not enrolling new NEMT providers based in the seven-county Twin Cities metro through January 27, 2027.
Minnesota NEMT at a glance
- Runs the program
- Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS)
- Program
- Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT)
- How rides are arranged
- County-run programs. Health plans arrange rides for their members. For fee-for-service members, counties and Tribes run modes 1 to 4 and DHS pays providers directly for modes 5 to 7.
- Brokers you will contract with
- MTM Health (17 counties), SmartLink (Carver and Scott), county and Tribal agencies, eight health plan ride lines
- State operating license
- MnDOT special transportation service (STS) certificate of compliance, renewed yearly, plus a $45 MnDOT decal on every vehicle. The certificate replaces other state and local operating permits.
- EVV for NEMT trips
- Not required
- Medicaid enrollment
- 1,131,743 (May 2026, Medicaid and CHIP)
On this page
How Medicaid NEMT works in Minnesota
DHS runs NEMT for Minnesota Health Care Programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0625, subdivisions 17 to 18i. Every ride falls into one of seven modes based on the help the member needs: personal mileage (1), volunteer drivers (2), unassisted rides by taxi, bus, or other carriers (3), assisted rides (4), ramp or lift-equipped rides (5), protected rides (6), and stretcher rides (7). Payment follows the member's assessed mode, not the vehicle you send.
For fee-for-service members, counties and Tribes administer modes 1 to 4 and pay the provider. MTM Health coordinates those rides for 17 counties under two host-county contracts, and SmartLink handles Carver and Scott counties. Modes 5 to 7 are state-administered: the member is certified first, then picks an enrolled provider, and the provider bills MHCP directly. Acentra (844-681-8144), the DHS medical review agent, certifies wheelchair, stretcher, and assisted (mode 4) rides, and county mental health crisis teams certify protected rides.
Most members are in managed care, and health plans oversee about 80 percent of NEMT spending. Each of the eight plans runs its own ride line and provider network, so you sign a separate agreement with each plan. Since July 17, 2023, plan network providers must also enroll with MHCP.
That structure is set to change, with no date yet. A 2025 law directs DHS to contract statewide or regionally for NEMT administration, including plan members, from July 1, 2026. A May 2026 law keeps today's county setup and fee-for-service rates in place until that administrator is actually running, and requires DHS to give counties and plans six months' notice before it starts.
Governing rule:Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0625: Covered services (subdivisions 17 to 18i, transportation)
Who brokers Medicaid rides in Minnesota
No broker covers the whole state. Who pays you depends on whether the member is in a health plan or fee-for-service. For fee-for-service rides, it also depends on the county and the mode.
| Broker | Serves | Provider sign-up |
|---|---|---|
| MTM Health (MTM-MNET) | Fee-for-service modes 1 to 4 and related meals, lodging, parking, and tolls in Anoka, Benton, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Pine, Ramsey, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington, and Wright counties (Hennepin County host contract), and in Aitkin, Carlton, Lake, and St. Louis counties (St. Louis County host contract, since January 1, 2019). | Provider pageMember lines 866-467-1724 (Hennepin contract), 844-399-9466 (St. Louis contract) |
| SmartLink | Fee-for-service modes 1 to 4 in Carver and Scott counties. | Provider page952-496-8341 |
| County and Tribal human services agencies | Fee-for-service modes 1 to 4, meals, lodging, parking, and tolls in every other county. Providers contract with the agency, which pays them and bills DHS. | Provider page |
| DHS state-administered NEMT (MHCP) | Fee-for-service modes 5 to 7 (ramp or lift-equipped, protected, and stretcher) statewide. The member books with an enrolled provider after certification, and the provider bills MHCP directly. | Provider pageAcentra certification line 844-681-8144 |
| Health plans: Blue Plus, HealthPartners, Hennepin Health, Itasca Medical Care (IMCare), Medica, PrimeWest Health, South Country Health Alliance, UCare | Their own members in PMAP, MinnesotaCare, MSC+, MSHO, and SNBC. Each plan schedules rides through its own line and contracts providers itself: Blue Plus runs BlueRide, HealthPartners runs RideCare, Medica runs Provide-A-Ride, and South Country runs RideConnect.UCare's Medicaid members move to Medica One Health Plan on October 1, 2026. | Provider page |
Plan transportation contacts listed by DHS and the plans: BlueRide 651-662-8648 or 866-340-8648, HealthPartners RideCare 952-883-7400, Hennepin Health 612-596-1036, IMCare 800-843-9536, and the PrimeWest Health Transportation Contact Center 888-814-6643.
MinnesotaCare plan members get personal mileage, out-of-state airfare, and other out-of-state trips with their lodging, meals, parking, and tolls through their county. All their other rides come through the plan.
Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0625, subdivision 18i requires DHS to hire a statewide or regional NEMT administrator covering fee-for-service and plan members. Under Laws 2026, chapter 121, the current county administration and rates end only when that administrator is implemented, and DHS must give counties and plans six months' notice first.
How to become a NEMT provider in Minnesota
MnDOT certifies the operation and DHS enrolls you for Medicaid billing. You need both before a county, DHS, or a health plan can pay you.
Form the business and choose a compliant name
Register the company with the Minnesota Secretary of State, then get a federal EIN. Unless you are a licensed ambulance service, the name cannot use "medical," "emergency," "life support," or "ambulance," though the full phrase "Non-Emergency Medical Transportation" or "NEMT" is allowed. Get a USDOT number from FMCSA; intrastate numbers carry no fee.
Get your MnDOT number
Submit MnDOT's STS Get MnDOT Number packet: the business information form, the data privacy notice, and a workers' compensation compliance certificate. MnDOT replies with your STS number and Form E insurance instructions. You still cannot carry passengers at this point.
Run background studies before anyone works
Initiate fingerprint-based studies through DHS NETStudy 2.0 for every owner of 5 percent or more, controlling individuals and managers, every driver and attendant, and staff who dispatch, bill, or have contact with passengers or their data. No one may work until DHS clears them.
Minnesota Statutes, section 174.30: Operating standards for special transportation service
Earn the STS certificate of compliance
Have your insurer file Form E with MnDOT, pass the MnDOT vehicle inspection, and submit the Get Certificate of Compliance packet with your driver, non-driver, and vehicle forms. MnDOT then sends your certificate of compliance and your certified vehicle list. Within 90 days of the certificate date, you must finish MnDOT's online Initial STS Provider Education course, or the certificate is canceled.
Minnesota Rules, chapter 8840: Special transportation service
Enroll the company with MHCP
Apply in the Minnesota Provider Screening and Enrollment (MPSE) portal with your STS certificate and vehicle list, a provider agreement (DHS-4138 for fee-for-service, or DHS-8355 for plan networks only), background study proof, and the 2026 application fee of $750 per location unless you paid one to Medicare or another state in the last five years. NEMT is a high-risk provider type, so DHS makes a site visit before enrolling you. Allow 30 days for processing plus up to 60 days for the site visit. DHS is not enrolling new providers based in the seven-county metro through January 27, 2027.
Enroll and affiliate every driver
Each driver enrolls individually with the DHS-4016 application and the DHS-4611A non-pay-to agreement, then is affiliated to your company in MPSE. Claims are denied unless the driver's Unique Minnesota Provider Identifier (UMPI) is listed as the rendering provider.
Contract with the payers in your area
For fee-for-service modes 1 to 4, contract with MTM Health, SmartLink, or the county or Tribe, because providers cannot bill MHCP directly for those modes. For modes 5 to 7, bill MHCP directly. For plan members, sign an agreement with each plan. PrimeWest, for example, wants proof of STS certification with its agreement and a driver roster every month.
Vehicle and driver requirements in Minnesota
MnDOT's STS rules are the floor for every NEMT provider, and state law applies them to health plan networks too. DHS and the plans add enrollment, documentation, and screening rules on top.
Vehicles
| Requirement | State rule | Broker contract |
|---|---|---|
| Certification and inspection | STS certificate renewed yearly. MnDOT inspects each vehicle before you can use it and at least annually after that, may inspect unannounced, and issues a $45 decal per vehicle each year (Minn. Stat. 174.30, subd. 4). | PrimeWest requires proof of STS certification with its agreement and proof of each renewal within 30 days. |
| Daily checks and vehicle records | Daily inspection of each vehicle, plus records of inspections, repairs, lubrication, lift and emergency exit tests, and trips (Minn. Stat. 174.30, subd. 2a). | Same. Plan networks must meet the STS standards (Minn. Stat. 256B.0625, subd. 18h). |
| Markings | Business name and USDOT number on both sides, in contrasting colors, legible from 50 feet (Minn. R. 8840.5925, subp. 6). | DHS and PrimeWest accept the STS certificate number preceded by "STS" when there is no USDOT number. |
| Safety equipment | 5B:C fire extinguisher, first aid kit, body fluids cleanup kit, two-way communication (hands-free if it is a cell phone), flashlight, three warning triangles, a seat belt extender when needed, strap cutter, a blanket, and an ice scraper from October 1 to April 30 (Minn. R. 8840.5925, subp. 1). | Same. |
| Wheelchair and stretcher equipment | Lifts and ramps meet 49 CFR 38.23, wheelchair securement meets Minn. Stat. 299A.11 to 299A.17, and stretcher securement meets ambulance standards (Minn. R. 8840.5925). | DHS pays the wheelchair rate only when the member is certified as a wheelchair user, the van is MnDOT certified, and your MHCP record carries the wheelchair indicator. PrimeWest applies the same test. |
| Protected transport | Safety locks, a video recorder, and a transparent thermoplastic partition between passenger and driver, with MnDOT protected transport certification (Minn. Stat. 256B.0625, subd. 17). | PrimeWest requires a driver and an attendant on each protected ride, except trips under 100 miles right after emergency department stabilization. |
Drivers
| Requirement | State rule | Broker contract |
|---|---|---|
| Age and license | At least 18, with a license valid for the vehicle class (Minn. R. 8840.5900). | PrimeWest collects each driver's license number, state, and expiration on a monthly roster and requires the license number on every claim. |
| Driving record | Three years clear of license cancellation, revocation, or listed suspensions and of DWI convictions. The provider reviews the record before hire and every year. | Same. |
| Medical fitness | A DOT medical examiner's certificate (49 CFR 391.41 and 391.43) carried while driving, or a commercial license or school bus endorsement instead. | Same. |
| Background study | Fingerprint-based DHS NETStudy 2.0 study cleared before any work (Minn. Stat. 174.30, subd. 10). | PrimeWest also checks the OIG, SAM, and MHCP exclusion lists at hire and every month. |
| Training | Before driving: orientation, equipment, emergency, and behind-the-wheel training. Within 45 days: 4 hours of first aid, 4 hours of defensive driving, 4 hours of abuse prevention, and passenger assistance (4 hours, or 8 for wheelchair riders, plus 2 for stretchers). Refreshers every three years (Minn. R. 8840.5910). | MTM Health adds its own required training at credentialing. |
| MHCP enrollment | Every driver enrolls with MHCP and is listed by UMPI as the rendering provider on each claim. | PrimeWest requires each driver's UMPI on its monthly roster. |
Insurance minimums in Minnesota
STS rules set the state minimum, and your insurer files proof with MnDOT on Form E. Brokers and plans set higher limits in their contracts.
| Coverage | Minimum | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Auto liability, each vehicle | $500,000 combined single limit | Minn. R. 8840.6000 |
| Personal injury protection (basic economic loss) | As required by Minnesota Statutes, chapter 65B | Minn. R. 8840.6000 |
| Uninsured and underinsured motorist | As required by Minnesota Statutes, chapter 65B | Minn. R. 8840.6000 |
| Proof of coverage | Form E filed with MnDOT. A cancellation takes effect 30 days after MnDOT receives Form K. | Minn. R. 8840.6000 |
| Workers compensation | Compliance statement filed with the STS application | Minn. R. 8840.5500 |
| MTM Health contract | $1,000,000 general liability and $1,000,000 auto liability, MTM as certificate holder and additional insured, plus workers compensation | Broker contract |
Does Minnesota require EVV for NEMT?
No. Minnesota does not require EVV for NEMT today. Laws 2026, chapter 121 adds it: from January 1, 2027, or federal approval if later, NEMT providers must meet the EVV rules in Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.073.
Until then, the check is the trip record in section 256B.0625, subdivision 17b: pickup and drop-off times, odometer readings at pickup and drop-off, the plate number, the mode, origin and destination with the most direct route and how it was measured, and signatures from the driver and from the member or medical provider. Keep records five years from the first billing. No-load miles are not billable. Myers & Stauffer is reviewing NEMT provider claims for DHS through 2026. Once EVV starts, EVV records that include every element can also satisfy the trip record rule.
What changed in Minnesota in 2025 and 2026
Minnesota had 1,131,743 people on Medicaid and CHIP in May 2026 (CMS preliminary data). DHS counted 5.5 million managed care NEMT trips and 1.4 million fee-for-service trips in 2024, with $119.2 million and $32.2 million in paid claims. That year 1,165 providers billed plans and 551 billed fee-for-service.
Fee-for-service rates are set in statute, and mileage moves with gas prices each quarter. From July 1, 2026, unassisted rides pay $12.10 base plus $1.51 per mile, assisted rides $14.30 plus $1.51, ramp or lift rides $19.80 plus $1.80, protected rides $75 plus $2.54, and stretcher rides $60 plus $2.54, with $9 for an extra stretcher attendant. Rural and super rural add-ons apply, and mileage counts only while the member is on board. These statutory rates were set to expire July 1, 2026; the 2026 law keeps them in force until the new administrator starts. Plans set their own rates.
Oversight tightened through 2026. At federal direction, DHS froze new NEMT enrollments on January 27, 2026 and revalidated high-risk providers with unannounced site visits. The freeze now covers providers based in the seven-county metro and runs through January 27, 2027. Myers & Stauffer is reviewing NEMT provider claims for DHS.
Payers are shifting too. UCare's Medicaid members move to Medica One Health Plan on October 1, 2026, and claims for them move to Medica's payer ID. From January 1, 2027, owners and managers of new high-risk providers must finish DHS compliance training before enrolling, and providers already enrolled must finish it by January 1, 2028. NEMT EVV starts January 1, 2027, or on federal approval if later. The statewide administrator has no start date yet.
The governor signs HF 2 (Laws 2025, First Special Session, chapter 3), directing DHS to contract statewide or regionally for NEMT administration.
Medica announces an agreement to acquire certain contracts and assets from UCare, including its Medicaid and individual plans.
DHS freezes new provider enrollment for 13 high-risk services, including NEMT, at CMS direction.
The governor signs SF 4476 (Laws 2026, chapter 121). It keeps the current NEMT rules and rates until the new administrator is implemented, requires six months' notice, and adds NEMT to EVV.
The quarterly fuel adjustment raises fee-for-service mileage to $1.51 (modes 3 and 4), $1.80 (mode 5), and $2.54 (modes 6 and 7).
DHS extends the high-risk enrollment freeze for at least six more months.
DHS confirms the NEMT moratorium covers providers based in the seven-county metro and runs through January 27, 2027.
DHS announces Myers & Stauffer reviews of NEMT provider claims throughout 2026.
UCare Medicaid members move to Medica One Health Plan.
NEMT EVV starts, or on federal approval if later. Compliance training is required before new high-risk enrollments.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the NEMT broker in Minnesota?
- There is no statewide broker. Each of the eight health plans arranges rides for its own members. For fee-for-service members, MTM Health coordinates modes 1 to 4 in 17 counties, SmartLink covers Carver and Scott, other counties and Tribes run their own programs, and DHS pays enrolled providers directly for wheelchair, protected, and stretcher rides.
- Do I need a license to run a NEMT business in Minnesota?
- Yes. You need a MnDOT special transportation service (STS) certificate of compliance, renewed every year, and a MnDOT decal on each vehicle ($45 a year). With a current certificate, no other state or local operating permit is required for those vehicles. You also need MHCP enrollment to bill Medicaid.
- Can I start a new NEMT company in the Twin Cities right now?
- Not as a Medicaid provider. DHS is not enrolling new NEMT providers located in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington counties through January 27, 2027. Providers based in any other county can enroll. DHS may extend the moratorium again.
- How much does Minnesota Medicaid pay for NEMT?
- Fee-for-service rates from July 1, 2026: $12.10 base plus $1.51 per mile unassisted, $14.30 plus $1.51 assisted, $19.80 plus $1.80 ramp or lift, $75 plus $2.54 protected, and $60 plus $2.54 stretcher. Mileage adjusts quarterly with gas prices, and rural add-ons apply. Health plans and MTM Health set their own contract rates.
- Does Minnesota require EVV for NEMT?
- Not yet. Laws 2026, chapter 121 requires NEMT providers to meet the state EVV rules starting January 1, 2027, or on federal approval if later. Until then, the trip record in section 256B.0625, subdivision 17b is the standard: times, odometer readings, plate, mode, route, and signatures.
- What insurance does a Minnesota NEMT provider need?
- STS rules require $500,000 combined single limit auto liability per vehicle, plus the personal injury protection and uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage required by chapter 65B, filed with MnDOT on Form E. MTM Health requires $1 million general liability and $1 million auto liability with MTM as additional insured, plus workers compensation.
- What training do Minnesota NEMT drivers need?
- Before driving, orientation, equipment, emergency, and behind-the-wheel training. Within 45 days, 4 hours each of first aid, defensive driving, and abuse prevention, plus passenger assistance training (4 hours, 8 for wheelchair riders, and 2 more for stretchers). Refresher courses are due every three years.
- Do NEMT drivers have to enroll with Minnesota Medicaid?
- Yes. Every driver enrolls individually with MHCP and is affiliated to the company. Each claim must list the driver's Unique Minnesota Provider Identifier as the rendering provider or it will be denied. Volunteer drivers, public transit, and not-for-hire vehicles are exempt.
- What happens to UCare trips in October 2026?
- UCare's Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare members move to Medica One Health Plans on October 1, 2026. Medica's payer ID (71890) replaces UCare's (55413) for those members, and Medica policies apply from that date. Check your Medica agreement before October if you carry UCare riders.
- Is Minnesota moving to a single NEMT administrator?
- Eventually. State law requires DHS to contract statewide or regionally for NEMT administration covering fee-for-service and plan members. A May 2026 law keeps the current county setup and rates until that administrator is implemented, and DHS must give counties and plans six months' notice before it begins. No start date has been announced.
Running NEMT in Minnesota with HealthRide
Minnesota providers often bill a county coordinator, MHCP, and several health plans in the same week, each with its own rates and rules. HealthRide keeps every trip on one dispatch board and records every payment, whichever payer it came from, in one ledger.
Credential expiry reminders track STS decals, driver training refreshers, and yearly driving record checks. The trip log, with pickup and drop-off times and signatures, exports as CSV or PDF when a county, DHS, or a plan asks for records.
Official resources
- Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0625: Covered services
- Minnesota Statutes, section 174.30: Operating standards for special transportation service
- Minnesota Rules, chapter 8840: Special transportation service
- Laws of Minnesota 2026, chapter 121 (SF 4476)
- Laws of Minnesota 2025, First Special Session, chapter 3 (HF 2)
- DHS: Nonemergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Services (Overview)
- DHS: Local County or Tribal Agency NEMT Transportation Services
- DHS: State-Administered NEMT
- DHS: MTM-MNET, SmartLink and local agency NEMT claim, service and rate information
- DHS: State-administered transportation procedure codes, modifiers and payment rates
- DHS: Medical transportation enrollment criteria and forms
- DHS: Transportation driver enrollment criteria and forms
- DHS: Provider screening requirements and application fees
- DHS: Enrollment with Minnesota Health Care Programs
- DHS: MCO contacts for MHCP providers
- DHS: MHCP provider news (NEMT moratorium extension, July 23, 2026)
- DHS: MHCP news and updates
- DHS: Minnesota freezes provider enrollment for 13 Medicaid services (January 30, 2026)
- DHS: Minnesota extends pause on new Medicaid providers in 12 high-risk services (July 15, 2026)
- DHS: Non-Emergency Medical Transportation briefing to the House Fraud Prevention Committee (March 2, 2026)
- MnDOT: Special Transportation Services (STS)
- MnDOT: How to become a certified STS provider
- MnDOT: Maintain your STS certificate of compliance
- MnDOT: STS vehicle inspections
- MTM Health: Minnesota transportation programs
- MTM Health: Minnesota transportation providers
- PrimeWest Health: PrimeWest Health-administered NEMT services
- HealthPartners: RideCare medical transportation
- Medica: Provide-a-ride for Minnesota Health Care Programs members
- South Country Health Alliance: RideConnect
- UCare: Minnesota Medical Assistance plans
- Medica: UCare member transition for providers
- Medica: Information for UCare members
- CMS: State Medicaid and CHIP applications, eligibility determinations, and enrollment data
HealthRide plans the whole day in one click and bills every ride.
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