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What Counts as an Emergency?
Call 911 if you experience:
We provide NEMT for:
Dream Care Rides is a licensed NEMT provider. We do not provide emergency ambulance or paramedic services.
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Short answer: Yes — most Medicaid NEMT programs allow one approved escort (family member, caregiver, or aide) to ride with the patient at no extra cost. Common reasons include transporting a child, a patient with cognitive impairment, or someone recovering from a procedure who needs help at home.
Medicaid programs allow an attendant when one is medically necessary or when policy requires it (for example, transport of a minor child). Each MCO has its own rules. The general categories are: minors needing a parent, patients with cognitive impairment, post-procedure patients needing assistance, and patients with communication or hearing needs. See our Medicaid NEMT coverage guide for the full coverage framework.
When you book the ride with your MCO's transportation broker, tell them an escort will be riding and provide the escort's name. The broker may ask why — share the reason briefly. Once the authorization shows an escort, the NEMT provider knows to plan for two passengers. For pediatric trips, our pediatric NEMT guide covers car-seat and parent-escort rules.
Call (708) 505-6994 or book online. We accept Medicaid-broker bookings with approved attendants throughout Illinois.
No. Approved escorts ride at no additional cost on Medicaid NEMT trips. The patient's Medicaid benefit covers the trip; the escort is not billed separately.
Most Medicaid programs allow one escort per trip. Additional riders may be possible on a case-by-case basis — call the MCO or broker to confirm.
Yes. Parents transporting a Medicaid-enrolled child to an appointment are considered the required escort. Car seats may be required depending on age.