How to become a MATP transportation provider in Pennsylvania

Updated September 2026

Pennsylvania runs Medicaid transportation county by county. The Department of Human Services funds the Medical Assistance Transportation Program, and each of the 67 counties runs it directly, contracts a vendor, or hands it to a transit authority. Philadelphia is the only county with a broker (Modivcare). A June 2026 state study recommended keeping the county model, so this structure is not about to change. Every paratransit operator also needs a Public Utility Commission certificate, and the state insurance floor is set in 52 Pa. Code.

Pennsylvania NEMT at a glance

Runs the program
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of Medical Assistance Programs
Program
Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP)
How rides are arranged
County-run programs. DHS funds MATP through a block grant. Each county runs it directly, through a vendor, or through a transit authority. Philadelphia uses a broker.
Brokers you will contract with
County MATP offices statewide; Modivcare in Philadelphia
State operating license
PUC Certificate of Public Convenience, paratransit class, for vehicles seating 15 or fewer passengers.
EVV for NEMT trips
Not required
Medicaid enrollment
2,875,106 (July 2026)

How Medicaid NEMT works in Pennsylvania

DHS administers MATP under 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2070 through the Public Assistance Transportation Block Grant to county governments, plus direct agreements with transit agencies where a county opts out and, in Philadelphia only, a transportation broker. Five arrangements exist: county sole provider (8 counties), county vendor (38), county hybrid (7), DHS broker (Philadelphia), and DHS direct agreement (13). Dauphin County moved from hybrid to a direct agreement in 2026.

The county MATP administrator determines each member's eligibility after the County Assistance Office confirms Medicaid coverage, arranges the least costly appropriate mode, and pays local providers under its own subcontracts. DHS reimburses the county one-for-one for reported trips. Vendor rates and provider requirements are therefore set county by county, and there is no statewide fee schedule. DHS sets the consumer mileage rate.

The legislature ordered a study of a statewide broker under Act 46 of 2025. DHS, PennDOT, and the Department of Aging delivered it on June 25, 2026 and recommended keeping the county model, finding that the fiscal, operational, and consumer risks of a broker significantly outweighed the projected savings.

Governing rule: 55 Pa. Code Chapter 2070: Public Assistance Transportation Block Grant eligibility

Who brokers Medicaid rides in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has one broker, 53 county-run programs, and 13 counties served through DHS direct agreements with transit agencies. For most of the state, the organization you contract with is the county MATP office or its contracted transit authority. DHS posts a county-by-county contact list at matp.pa.gov.

BrokerServesSinceProvider sign-up
Modivcare (Philadelphia)Philadelphia County MATP members, as the DHS broker since 2005.2005Provider page

877-835-7412 (reservations)

Allegheny County DHSAllegheny County MATP, run by the county with ACCESS Transportation Systems for shared rides.

888-547-6287

rabbittransitMATP administrator for Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Indiana, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder, Union, and York, plus Cambria since April 1, 2025. Took over all Dauphin County administration on July 1, 2026.April 1, 2025 (Cambria)Provider page
Other transit authorities and county vendorsArea Transportation Authority (Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, Potter), BeST Transit (Bradford, Sullivan, Tioga), LANTA (Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon), South Central Transit Authority (Berks, Lancaster), and county-contracted vendors elsewhere.

The Philadelphia broker re-procurement (RFA 06-24) remained stayed in litigation as of June 2026, so Modivcare continues.

How to become a NEMT provider in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has three layers: the PUC certificate, PROMISe enrollment with DHS, and a contract with each county MATP program you want to serve.

  1. 1

    Form the business

    Register the company with the Pennsylvania Department of State and get a federal EIN. DHS enrolls transportation providers under the legal name and EIN on the IRS letter, so settle both before you file anything else.

  2. 2

    Get a PUC Certificate of Public Convenience

    Any intrastate passenger service for compensation needs a certificate before it starts. Wheelchair and stretcher van service falls in the paratransit class, defined in 52 Pa. Code § 29.354 as advance-reservation service in vehicles seating 15 or fewer passengers excluding the driver. File the Application for Motor Common Carrier of Persons in Paratransit Service with a $350 fee per class of service. Applications are published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin with a protest period. Certificate holders file a tariff, have their insurer file Form E, and pay an annual assessment on gross revenue. Vehicles carry the company name and PUC number in letters at least 2 inches by 1/2 inch and use PennDOT "BA" plates. Paratransit carriers may not serve airports.

    PA PUC: Application for Motor Common Carrier of Persons in Paratransit Service

  3. 3

    Enroll in PROMISe as Provider Type 26

    DHS enrolls transportation providers as Provider Type 26 through its online provider enrollment portal, with a signed provider agreement, an ownership and control disclosure, the IRS letter showing the legal name and EIN, and corporate papers. Specialty codes cover ambulance, mass transit, paratransit, and mileage reimbursement. The DHS requirements sheet also says Provider Type 26 must be enrolled with Medicare at the service location. The Office of Medical Assistance Programs provider enrollment line is 800-537-8862.

    PA DHS: Requirements for Provider Type 26, Transportation

  4. 4

    Contract with each county MATP program

    Each county runs its own contracting. In Philadelphia that means Modivcare credentialing. In Allegheny it means the county program with ACCESS. Elsewhere it is the county MATP office or its transit authority. Counties may negotiate rates through competitive bidding, must put DHS's required terms in every subcontract, and screen subcontractors monthly against the federal exclusion list.

    PA DHS: Medical Assistance Transportation Program

  5. 5

    Clear every driver

    DHS's MATP Standards and Guidelines require a Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, a Pennsylvania State Police criminal record check, and an FBI background check for every driver. Volunteers who have lived in Pennsylvania for 10 years can skip the FBI check. PUC rules add driver-history checks on hire and annually and criminal-history checks every two years.

    52 Pa. Code Chapter 29, Subchapter F: Driver regulations

  6. 6

    Carry the 52 Pa. Code insurance and keep records for four years

    Insurance minimums are in 52 Pa. Code § 32.11. Vehicle rules for paratransit seating 15 or fewer are in 52 Pa. Code §§ 29.401 to 29.407, and vehicles seating 16 or more follow Chapter 37, which adopts the federal motor carrier safety regulations. MATP requires four-year record retention and monthly trip-level data from every county program.

    52 Pa. Code § 32.11: Passenger carrier insurance

Vehicle and driver requirements in Pennsylvania

The PUC sets vehicle, insurance, and baseline driver rules statewide. DHS adds clearances for every MATP driver, and counties and Modivcare add contract requirements.

Vehicles

RequirementState ruleBroker contract
Operating authorityPUC Certificate of Public Convenience, paratransit class, $350 filing fee per class.County or broker contract requires proof.
Vehicle markings and platesCompany name and PUC number at least 2 inches by 1/2 inch; PennDOT "BA" plates for paratransit.Same.
Vehicle standards52 Pa. Code §§ 29.401 to 29.407 for 15 seats or fewer, including PennDOT equipment and inspection standards; Chapter 37 (federal motor carrier rules) for 16 or more. The 8-model-year cap applies to taxis and limousines, not paratransit.County or broker inspections. Modivcare requires a current state inspection.
Wheelchair equipmentVehicles serving people with disabilities must carry the equipment needed for their safety and comfort (52 Pa. Code § 29.354).Contract inspections of lifts and securements.

Drivers

RequirementState ruleBroker contract
Age and licenseValid license and at least 21 years old. Paratransit drivers aged 18 to 20 allowed with EMS vehicle operator certification (52 Pa. Code § 29.503).Same.
ClearancesPennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance, State Police criminal record check, and FBI background check for every MATP driver, with a 10-year-resident exception for volunteers (DHS MATP Standards and Guidelines).Modivcare adds its own background check.
Driving and criminal historyDriver history from every state of licensure at hire and annually; criminal history check every two years (52 Pa. Code §§ 29.504 and 29.505).Motor vehicle record checks per contract.
Drug and alcoholAlcohol and controlled substance prohibitions (52 Pa. Code §§ 29.506 and 29.507). No testing program in PUC rules.Drug screening required by Modivcare and by county contracts.
TrainingNo statewide NEMT training rule. Federal physical qualification for drivers of 9 to 15 passenger vehicles.PASS wheelchair certificate, First Aid and CPR, and defensive driving per contract.

Insurance minimums in Pennsylvania

52 Pa. Code § 32.11 sets the floor by seating capacity. Counties and Modivcare may require more in their contracts.

CoverageMinimumSet by
Vehicles seating 15 or fewer$35,000 combined bodily injury and property damage, plus $25,000 first-party medical and $10,000 wage loss52 Pa. Code § 32.11
Vehicles seating 16 to 28$1,000,00052 Pa. Code § 32.11
Vehicles seating 29 or more$5,000,00052 Pa. Code § 32.11
Contract coverageSet by the county or ModivcareCounty or broker contract

Does Pennsylvania require EVV for NEMT?

No. Pennsylvania EVV covers Medicaid personal care and home health services that require an in-home visit. Transportation is not an EVV service in Pennsylvania.

MATP checks trips through county records instead: four-year retention of client files and trip logs, monthly trip-level data submissions from every county program to DHS, county monitoring of subcontractors, and DHS compliance reviews and time studies. Philadelphia providers also follow Modivcare's trip documentation rules.

PA DHS: Electronic Visit Verification

What changed in Pennsylvania in 2025 and 2026

Pennsylvania had 2,875,106 people on Medicaid in July 2026. MATP moved 4.1 million trips in state fiscal year 2025 at a cost of $133.5 million, an average of $32.65 per trip, and it accounts for about 34 percent of shared-ride trips outside Allegheny and Philadelphia.

The biggest story is the one that did not happen. Act 40 of 2018 ordered a statewide broker procurement, Act 19 of 2019 cancelled it, a December 2019 study argued against a broker, and the Act 46 of 2025 study delivered June 25, 2026 reached the same conclusion: projected net savings of about $5.1 million were likely negligible or negative against fiscal, operational, and consumer risk, with stakeholders nearly unanimous in opposition and the transit association projecting up to 800 job losses.

Smaller shifts continue. rabbittransit took over Cambria County MATP on April 1, 2025 and all of Dauphin County's administration on July 1, 2026. DHS sets the consumer mileage reimbursement rate at $0.12 per mile, which is what Wayne County pays, and Fulton County lists $0.25 per mile. Philadelphia's broker, Modivcare, went through Chapter 11 between August and December 2025 without a service interruption.

  1. Act 40 of 2018 (House Bill 1677) orders a statewide broker procurement (RFA 28-18). Notice

  2. Act 19 of 2019 cancels the broker procurement and orders the December 2019 study, which recommends against a broker. Notice

  3. rabbittransit becomes Cambria County's MATP administrator, with CamTran operating trips. Notice

  4. Modivcare, the Philadelphia broker, files for Chapter 11. Notice

  5. Act 46 of 2025 (House Bill 749) is enacted, ordering a new MATP broker study. Notice

  6. Modivcare emerges from Chapter 11 with more than 85 percent of its debt eliminated. Notice

  7. Dauphin County announces that rabbittransit takes over MATP administration on July 1, 2026. Notice

  8. DHS, PennDOT, and the Department of Aging deliver the Act 46 broker study, recommending that the county model stay. Notice

Frequently asked questions

Who is the NEMT broker in Pennsylvania?

Only Philadelphia has a broker: Modivcare, under contract with DHS since 2005 (reservations 877-835-7412). Everywhere else the county MATP office, its contracted vendor, or a transit authority such as rabbittransit or ACCESS arranges and pays for rides. DHS lists every county's contact at matp.pa.gov.

Do I need a PUC license for NEMT in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Any intrastate passenger service for compensation needs a PUC Certificate of Public Convenience before operating. Wheelchair and stretcher van service uses the paratransit class, for vehicles seating 15 or fewer passengers. The Philadelphia Parking Authority exception covers only limousines, airport transfers, and taxis, so paratransit stays with the PUC statewide.

How do I become a MATP provider?

Get the PUC certificate, enroll in PROMISe as Provider Type 26, clear every driver through the Child Abuse History, State Police, and FBI checks, then contract with each county MATP program you want to serve. Philadelphia requires Modivcare credentialing.

What insurance does Pennsylvania require for paratransit?

52 Pa. Code § 32.11 requires $35,000 combined bodily injury and property damage plus $25,000 first-party medical and $10,000 wage loss for vehicles seating 15 or fewer, $1 million for 16 to 28 seats, and $5 million for 29 or more. Counties and Modivcare can require more.

What are the driver requirements for MATP?

PUC rules require a valid license, age 21 or older (18 to 20 with EMS vehicle operator certification), driver-history checks at hire and annually, and criminal-history checks every two years. DHS adds a Child Abuse History Clearance, a State Police criminal record check, and an FBI background check for every driver (volunteers with 10 years of Pennsylvania residence are exempt from the FBI check). Modivcare adds PASS wheelchair training, First Aid and CPR, defensive driving, and drug screening.

Does Pennsylvania require EVV for NEMT?

No. Pennsylvania EVV covers personal care and home health services that involve an in-home visit. MATP relies on four-year record retention and monthly trip-level reporting by county programs.

Is Pennsylvania moving to a statewide broker?

Not now. The Act 46 of 2025 study delivered on June 25, 2026 recommended keeping the county model, citing negligible or negative savings and near-unanimous stakeholder opposition. A Philadelphia broker re-procurement remained stayed in litigation as of June 2026.

How much does MATP pay per trip?

There is no statewide vendor rate. Counties negotiate their own vendor rates. DHS sets the consumer mileage reimbursement rate at $0.12 per mile, and Fulton County lists $0.25. Statewide, MATP averaged $32.65 per trip in fiscal year 2025.

What is the PUC filing fee for a paratransit certificate?

$350 per class of service, paid by certified check or money order. Paratransit is one class.

Running NEMT in Pennsylvania with HealthRide

A Pennsylvania fleet can hold contracts with three counties, a transit authority, and Modivcare in Philadelphia, each with its own rates and paperwork. HealthRide runs every payer's trips on one board and records every payment in one ledger.

The driver app records GPS-recorded miles, timestamps, and signatures on every leg, and they stay attached to the trip, so a county or DHS records request is a trip log export.

See pricing

Official resources

NEMT in other states

NEMT in Texas

Health plans each contract a broker. Brokers: SafeRide Health, MTM Health, Modivcare.

NEMT in Florida

Health plans each contract a broker. Brokers: Modivcare, MTM Health, Alivi, Ride2MD.

NEMT in California

Health plans each contract a broker. Brokers: Modivcare, Call the Car, American Logistics.

NEMT in New York

One statewide broker. Brokers: Medical Answering Services (MAS).

NEMT in Colorado

Statewide broker, phasing in. Brokers: MediDrive.