Transportation Services
The Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) is a shared ride transportation service available to people receiving Medical Assistance and is paid for by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS). A Shared Ride service means that you will be traveling with other MATP members who are traveling to a location close to where you are going. In Philadelphia County, the MATP Program is run by Modivcare. In Philadelphia, you do not need to fill out an application for MATP services.
You can use MATP rides to go to medical appointments or to any service covered by Medical Assistance. These medical services include but are not limited to:
- Doctors, Dentists, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Clinics, Hospitals for tests (e.g., lab work, x-rays, etc.), Psychologist or Psychiatrist, Medical Equipment Suppliers, Pharmacy for prescriptions, therapies (i.e., physical, occupational) mental health treatment, drug & alcohol treatment and any service covered by Medical Assistance.
You cannot use MATP rides if:
- You need emergency ambulance transportation. If you have an emergency, please call 911 right away. If you are having a mental health, substance use, or suicidal crisis, call 988.
- You are going grocery shopping or doing social activities.
- You are going for medical care that Medical Assistance does not cover.
If you need transportation to a medical appointment or to the pharmacy, contact the MATP to get more information and to register for services. Modivcare is the MATP for Philadelphia County; they can be reached at 1-877-835-7436.
Learn More About Modivcare Eng│Esp
MATP will work with CBH to confirm that the medical appointment you need transportation for is a covered service. CBH works with MATP to help you arrange transportation. You can also contact CBH Member Services for more information.
What kinds of rides are provided by MATP?
We will provide you with the best type of ride that is available to meet your personal needs.
When you call our Reservation line, Modivcare will ask you questions about your health and if you have any special transportation needs. Your answers will help us decide what kind of ride you need. We may ask you to have your doctor fill out a form to help us determine what type of ride to give you. We can provide you with a ride in one of the following ways:
- SEPTA—A SEPTA bus, trolley, or train might be the best choice for your ride. If it is, we will mail you a day pass before your appointment. Passes are mailed using the United States Postal Service (USPS). Please allow 5-7 days to receive your pass in the mail. You can also pick them up from our Distribution Center.
- Mileage Reimbursement – If you can use your own car or know someone who can give you a ride, we will pay $0.25 (twenty-five cents) per mile, plus parking and tolls.
- Paratransit – If SEPTA is not a good choice for you and you are not able to use your own car or know someone who can give you a ride, a shared van (mini, 12-15 passenger), lift-equipped van, taxi, or another vehicle will be used for your ride. For eligibility for paratransit service, a Physician Medical Necessity form has to be completed by your PCP or treating physician stating the medical restrictions that prohibit you from using public transit.
How do I schedule a Ride?
- Call Modivcare at 1-877-835-7412
- Our office hours are Monday – Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- You can call us up to (30) days before your appointment to arrange a ride, you must call at least 3 days before your medical appointment to arrange a ride (7 days for SEPTA).
- If you do not call at least 3 days before, it may be harder for you to get a ride.
- You can get a ride with less than three days’ notice for “urgent trips,” like when a person needs a test at the hospital right away. If you call us during business hours for an urgent trip, someone will help you. If you call after hours for a trip that is not urgent, we will ask you to call back the next day during regular business hours.
- If you do not speak English, we can provide you with an interpreter.
What do I need to tell Modivcare when I call?
You must verify your date of birth, address, and phone number every time you call.
- The date and time of your appointment.
- Please provide the specific name, department, floor or suite number, and phone number of the place where you are going, e.g., Dr. Gary Brown at Temple Hospital, not just Temple Hospital.
- The time for your return ride
- If you have any special needs, like if you use a wheelchair or walker
- if you have a disability or problem that might keep you from going to the curb to catch your ride
- if you need to have someone go with you to your appointments
- if you need help in another language
Modivcare will let you know what type of ride you will receive
- If you will be riding SEPTA, you will receive enough day passes or a monthly trans pass to cover your trips. You can pick up your trans pass anytime at our Distribution Center Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 pm located at the Suburban Station lower-level concourse at 17th and JFK (enter the concourse by using the stairs or elevator). We can also mail a pass via USPS to the address on file, you need to ensure your mailing address with DHS is correct, Modivcare is not responsible for delayed, lost or stolen passes.
- If you use your car or someone drives you, we will mail you a form to complete and return to us after your trip(s. We will pay you the mileage reimbursement rate per mile for your trips, parking, and tolls. Please provide receipts for parking and tolls.
- If a van or other vehicle will be picking you up, we will give you an estimated pick-up time.
- The transportation company may call you the night before your ride to let you know exactly what time they will pick you up.
- Please be ready at least 30 minutes before your pick-up time so that you can get to the curb when your vehicle arrives. If you have any disabilities or limitations that keep you from getting to the curb, please tell us at the time of your call.
What to do if you are told that you are not able to ride MATP?
If you are a Medicaid recipient who cannot be transported by MATP, we will refer you to your MCO and potentially to your CAO. You may also contact your DHS caseworker at your CAO to verify your Medicaid eligibility.
What are the rules for mileage reimbursement?
If you will be traveling by car, you must call Modivcare at 1-877-835-7412 at least 24 hours in advance to let us know the date of your appointment. We will send you a form to fill out where you had your appointment, and if you had to pay any parking or tolls. You will need to have the medical provider at each appointment you go to sign this form.
You should send us your form right away and include any receipts for parking or tolls. We will send you a check to reimburse your costs within 4-6 weeks.
Send your completed forms to:
Modivcare Claims Department
Phila Gas Reimbursement
798 Park Ave NW
4TH Floor
Norton, VA 24273
What if I need urgent care transportation?
If you need a ride on short notice for an urgent medical reason, call Modivcare immediately. Please have your medical provider’s phone number when you call so that we can verify with them that your appointment is urgent. We have a process for responding to any urgent care requests and will make every effort to help you receive the medical care that you need.
For MATP, Urgent Care is defined as any illness or severe condition that, under reasonable standards of medical practice, would be diagnosed and treated within a 24-hour period and, if left untreated, could rapidly become a crisis or emergency situation.
How far can I travel on a MATP ride?
Modivcare will ensure you get a ride to the Medical Assistance covered medical care you need. We provide rides throughout Philadelphia County to any covered medical provider. We can only take you to providers within your network unless you have been referred to a provider outside of your network. For pharmacy trips, you will be taken to one of the two closest providers to your home unless a specific medical reason necessitates a more distant pharmacy be used.
If you have Medicare and Medicaid, we will take you to your Medicare appointments.
If you have questions about MATP rides, please call us at 1-877-835-7412.
What are the rules for riding paratransit transportation?
Pick Up and Drop Off Guidelines:
MATP drivers are required to pick you up no sooner than 15 minutes before your scheduled pick-up time and no later than 15 minutes after your pick-up time. For example, if your pickup time from your house is 9:00 AM, your ride can come between 8:45 AM and 9:15 AM. We will drop you off at your appointment no more than one (1) hour before your appointment time and we will pick you up no later than one (1) hour after your appointment is finished.
The driver will ask you to sign a sheet or tablet when you are picked up and dropped off. This way, we can ensure your rides are arriving on time.
If we do not meet these timelines, you should call us at 1-877-835-7420 to report the problem and we will arrange another ride for you.
Door-to-Door and Curb-to-Curb service
Door-to-Door service is for people who use paratransit and have disabilities or limitations that keep them from getting out of their home and to the curb on their own. This level of service will require medical professional verification in most instances. The van drivers and attendants are not allowed to provide any physical assistance up/down steps. If you have steps that you need help with, you will have to have someone with you that can assist you up and down the steps. 5
Curb-to-Curb service is for people who use paratransit and have no disabilities or limitations that would keep them from getting their ride at the curb.
Can I bring someone with me on my trips?
You may bring someone with you as an escort, at no cost to you, in the following situations:
- If you are under 18 years old, you can be escorted by a parent or other relative or guardian.
- If you cannot travel independently, or you need help due to age, illness, or physical/mental disability. This requires verification by a medical professional.
- If you do not speak English, you can bring someone that speaks your language to interpret for you.
What if I’m not ready when my ride arrives or if I forget about my appointment?
If you are not ready or are not at home during your pick-up time, you will be
considered a “no-show.” If you are a no-show more than (5) times within 30 days, you may receive a Written Notice for reducing Transportation service to mass transit or mileage reimbursement. You will receive the notice at least ten days before the effective date for the reduction in paratransit services. You have the right to appeal this decision, information about your right to appeal is included in the written notice.
We will assist in finding alternate transportation during the suspension which may include mileage reimbursement or mass transit passes.
Occurrence Dates & Active Action within 30 days.
1st No Show Date: |
Warning letter to inform you of the policy |
2nd No Show Date: |
2nd Warning letter to inform you of the policy. |
3rd No Show Date: |
You are required to call at least 24 hours in advance to confirm your next appointment(s). |
4th No Show Date: |
You can only schedule 1 appointment at a time, you are required to confirm your next appointment(s) 24 hours in advance. Your ride will be canceled if you do not confirm your appointment(s). |
5th No Show Date: |
Your facility standing order will be canceled, you must call in your trips or they can be entered from a facility representative. Transportation services may also be reduced to Mass Transit or Mileage Reimbursement for 30 days. |
If you find out that your medical appointment has changed or been cancelled, or that you will not be going to your medical appointment for any other reason, please call Modivcare within 24 hours before your appointment or as soon as you know your schedule has changed so that it is not counted as a no-show.
The rules for riders to follow so that everyone has a pleasant and safe ride.
Modivcare expects that all riders will conduct themselves properly. If a rider has too many behavioral or safety issues, they may not be able to get rides from MATP.
If a rider has more than three (3) behavioral or safety issues that could cause harm to oneself, driver or other MATP riders in one (1) month, they may not be able to get a ride from MATP for paratransit services for (1) month.
If a rider has a severe behavioral issue that could cause physical harm to the driver or to another MATP rider by hitting someone or creating a disruption that could cause the driver to have an accident, you will immediately be suspended from using paratransit for no less than (1) month. We will work with you to find safe alternative transportation. If you continue to have severe behavioral incidents, then your transportation with MATP will be permanently terminated to protect the health and safety of other riders.
You will receive a verbal and written notice before your paratransit rides are reduced. You have a right to appeal our decision if your services are reduced.
I have a complaint about my MATP transport. Who do I contact?
A complaint is any issue, dispute or objection you express to us about our agency, or about the coverage, operations or policies of MATP.
If you have a complaint about our services, about how you were treated by our staff or a driver, or policies, please let us know. We will record your complaint, investigate and respond to you. We will acknowledge all complaints within 24 hours and will provide a written response to all written complaints within 5 business days with a resolution to your complaint, or a plan of action.
If Modivcare has not been able to resolve the complaint within 5 days or you are not satisfied with our response, you may request a 2nd level complaint. During the 2nd level complaint, Modivcare’s Operations General Manager will review your complaint and issue a response within five (5) business days.
If you are still not satisfied with the resolution following the second review, we will forward your complaint to the Department of Human Services for a final review.
To make a complaint, please call 1-877-835-7428 or email your complaint to: ComplaintsPHL@Modivcare.com 7
Mail your complaint to:
Modivcare
Attn: YOURS
1628 JFK BLVD. C-1
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Fax: 1-877-835-7431
Modivcare is required to give you a written notice if we deny your request for a ride or for mileage reimbursement. We are also required to give you written notice in advance if we plan to reduce or change your services or suspend you from the program for any length of time. The notice will tell you the reasons for our action, when the action will start, and your rights to appeal the decision.
If you need help to appeal or do not receive a written notice, call The Welfare Law Line at 215-227-6485 or the Pennsylvania Health Law Project at 1-800-
274-3258 for free legal assistance