Access Services Ancillary to Transportation

Revised: April 4, 2025

· Overview

· Eligible Providers

· Eligible Members

· Covered Services

· Noncovered Services

· Authorization Requirements

· Billing

· Legal References

Overview

Minnesota Traffic Management – Minnesota Nonemergency Transportation (MTM-MNET), SmartLink, county and tribal agencies either pay a transportation vendor directly or reimburse the member for ancillary travel expenses when parking, meals and lodging services are necessary to allow members to obtain covered health services. Examples of ancillary access services for which reimbursement is, or may be, available include the following:

· Parking and tolls

· Meals

· Lodging

Members must contact MTM-MNET, SmartLink or their local county or tribal agency for the process for obtaining reimbursement for ancillary travel expenses.

Eligible Providers

The local county or tribal agency is responsible for coordination, authorization and reimbursement for appropriate ancillary access services for members outside of the MTM-MNET and SmartLink transportation areas.

MTM-MNET is responsible for coordination, authorization, and reimbursement for appropriate ancillary access services for residents in the 13 counties of Anoka, Benton, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Pine, Ramsey, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright. Members residing in these counties must contact MTM-MNET at 651-645-3982 or 866-467-1724.

· Effective Jan. 1, 2019, members residing in one of the following counties: Aitkin, Carlton, Lake, and St. Louis must contact MTM-MNET at 844-399-9466 for local agency NEMT and related ancillary services.

· Members in Carver and Scott counties must contact SmartLink at 952-496-8341.

· Members in all other counties must contact their county or tribal agency.

Eligible Members

Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) fee-for-service (FFS) members enrolled in one of the following Health Care Programs or Services are also eligible to receive reimbursement for ancillary access services:

· Medical Assistance (MA)

· Emergency Medical Assistance (EMA)

· Institution for Mental Diseases (IMD)

· MinnesotaCare for people under the age of 21 or pregnant woman

· Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA)

· Minnesota Family Planning Program (MFPP)

· Managed care organizations (MCO)

Covered Services

Reimbursement is available for the following ancillary access services after the member incurs an allowed expense and provides required documentation:

· Parking and tolls

· Food

· Lodging

Contact MTM-MNET, SmartLink or the local county or tribal agency for authorization of payment made directly to a vendor for lodging services.

Expenses for meals and lodging are covered based on the time required to travel to or from the pickup or drop-off location to receive a medical service or attend appeal hearings.

When appropriate, expenses for the member and one responsible person or volunteer driver are eligible for reimbursement.

Refer to Responsible Person in the Covered Services section under Nonemergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Services (Overview) in the MHCP Provider Manual for more information.

MA Organ Transplant Donor NEMT and Ancillary Services
Refer to Organ Transplant Donor in the Covered Services section under Nonemergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Services (Overview) in the MHCP Provider Manual for reimbursement information of transport and ancillary services for the MA organ transplant donor.

Parking Reimbursement Requirements
Member requirements for parking reimbursement:

· Use the most cost-effective method (the rate for in or out multiple times per day versus the daily rate versus the weekly or monthly rate)

· Submit receipts (except for meter parking)

The parking reimbursement rate is at the actual cost.

Meal Reimbursement Requirements
Refer to the following requirements to be eligible for reimbursement for meals:

· Meal reimbursement is allowed for the member and, when appropriate, one responsible person

· Allow meal reimbursement for volunteer driver when meals are or would be authorized for the client

· Medical appointment time and driving distance determines meal allowances

· Must be required to travel further than 35 miles in the most direct route from home to the medical appointment

· Must be in travel status to get to the medical appointment or be at the medical appointment over normal meal times (travel time does not include time taken to eat the meal)

· Appropriate mealtime is based on community standards (Would a non-MHCP individual traveling during the times indicated incur a similar expense to obtain the medical service?)

· Members with dates, times and individually identifiable meal costs are required

· Breakfast reimbursement limit, $5.50 per authorized person

· Lunch reimbursement limit, $6.50 per authorized person

· Dinner reimbursement limit, $8.00 per authorized person

· Meal expense does not include alcohol or gratuities

· Meal expense does not allow for reimbursement of groceries

· Meal expense must be incurred at one sitting

Lodging Reimbursement Requirements
Refer to the following for lodging reimbursement requirements:

· The transportation coordinator must give prior approval for all lodging reimbursements

· Maximum of $50.00 per night is allowed unless prior authorized by the local agency for a higher rate

· Reimbursement is allowed for the member and, when appropriate, reimbursement for a second room for one responsible person

· Reimbursement is allowed for a volunteer driver when appropriate

· Community standards determine when lodging is appropriate (Would a non-MHCP eligible person travel and incur overnight lodging expenses to obtain the medical service?)

· Receipts with dates, amounts and facility name are required

· Reimbursement does not include additional expenses (for example, movie rental, pay-per-view, meals)

Noncovered Services

The following items are not eligible for reimbursement:

· Alcohol

· Gratuities

· Groceries

· Movie rentals or pay-per-view

Authorization Requirements

Contact MTM-MNET for residents in the 13 counties of Anoka, Benton, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Pine, Ramsey, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright. Members residing in these counties must contact MTM-MNET at 651-645-3982 or 866-467-1724.

· members residing in one of the following counties: Aitkin, Carlton, Lake, and St. Louis must contact MTM-MNET at 844-399-9466 for local agency NEMT and related ancillary services.

· Members in Carver and Scott counties must contact SmartLink 952-496-8341.

· Members in all other counties must contact their county or tribal agency.

Billing

Refer to Billing Policy Overview under Provider Basics in MHCP Provider Manual for general MHCP billing policies. Refer to the MN–ITS User Guide for billing instructions.

Refer to Ancillary Access Service Procedure Codes, Modifiers and Rates under Ancillary Services Claim and Rate Information for Counties and Tribes in the MHCP Provider Manual for ancillary access service billing process.

Legal References

Minnesota Statutes, 256B.0625 subdivision 18a (Covered Services, Access to Medical Service)
Minnesota Rules, 9505.0140, subpart 1 (Payment for Access to Medically Necessary Services)