For Illinois MCOs, FIDE-SNPs & I-SNPs
Stretcher Transport Gaps Cost Illinois Health Plans Millions Every Year
When stretcher-level NEMT fails, your dual-eligible and I-SNP members end up in 911 ambulances for non-emergency transfers — driving up costs, triggering grievances, and impacting your STAR ratings.
Dream Care Rides is an IDPH-licensed, Medicaid-enrolled stretcher van provider serving 80+ Illinois cities. We help health plans close the gap between “transportation benefit approved” and “member actually gets to their appointment.”
The Problem
5 Stretcher Transport Gaps Costing Illinois Health Plans
These are the operational realities Illinois MCOs, FIDE-SNPs, and I-SNPs face when stretcher-level NEMT isn't reliable.
Stretcher No-Shows Force Costly 911 Ambulance Defaults
When a contracted NEMT provider no-shows a stretcher trip, the facility has no choice but to call 911. Your plan absorbs a $1,200–$2,400 emergency ambulance claim — multiple times the cost of a scheduled stretcher transport. These avoidable escalations add up fast.
Dual-Eligible Members Drive the Highest Transport Volume
Illinois dual-eligible members average 24+ medical trips per year — dialysis, wound care, chemotherapy, SNF-to-hospital transfers. Each missed trip cascades into rescheduled procedures and delayed care.
STAR Ratings Penalize Transportation Failures
CMS tracks member experience with appointment access and plan responsiveness. Transportation complaints directly impact your CAHPS scores, which feed into STAR ratings — and STAR ratings determine your quality bonus payments.
I-SNP Members Need Stretcher-Level Service Most
Institutional SNP members live in nursing facilities and require bed-to-bed stretcher transport for outside medical appointments. Generic NEMT providers lack the specialized equipment, trained attendants, and facility coordination these members require.
NEMT Broker Networks Have Stretcher Gaps in Illinois
Most NEMT broker networks have adequate ambulatory and wheelchair capacity, but stretcher van coverage — especially outside Cook County — is thin. Trips go unfilled, members miss appointments, and grievances accumulate.
The math is simple.
Every stretcher no-show that triggers a 911 ambulance default costs your plan $1,200–$2,400 per incident. Across 50 dual-eligible members making 24 trips per year, even a 5% no-show rate creates tens of thousands in avoidable ambulance claims annually.
Download the Full Cost AnalysisReal Scenarios
What Happens When Stretcher Transport Works — and When It Doesn't
These scenarios reflect the daily reality for Illinois health plan members who need stretcher-level NEMT.
Post-Surgical Follow-Up From SNF
Member Profile
78-year-old Humana I-SNP member in a skilled nursing facility
Needs stretcher transport to orthopedic surgeon for post-hip-replacement follow-up. Cannot sit upright. Facility requires bed-to-bed service with trained attendant.
- •Broker network has no stretcher van available in DuPage County
- •Trip goes unfilled — appointment rescheduled
- •Surgeon delays weight-bearing clearance by 2 weeks
- •Extended SNF stay costs plan additional $8,000+
- DCR dispatches stretcher van with trained attendant
- Bed-to-bed transfer using Broda Traversa comfort system
- Member makes appointment on schedule
- Surgeon clears for therapy — SNF stay stays on track
3x/Week Dialysis Transport
Member Profile
65-year-old dual-eligible member on hemodialysis
Requires wheelchair van transport to dialysis center 3 times per week, 52 weeks per year. Lives in south suburban Cook County.
- •Inconsistent drivers — different provider each session
- •2 no-shows in one month → 2 missed dialysis sessions
- •ER visit for fluid overload after missed session
- •Grievance filed + $4,500 ER claim
- Standing order with consistent driver assignment
- Member builds trust with regular DCR driver
- 99%+ on-time rate across 156 annual trips
- Zero missed sessions → zero avoidable ER visits
Hospital Discharge to Home
Member Profile
82-year-old Medicaid MCO member being discharged after pneumonia
Discharge planned for 2 PM. Patient needs stretcher transport home — cannot sit upright due to weakness and oxygen requirement. Facility discharge planner calls NEMT benefit.
- •No stretcher van available same-day
- •Patient stays an extra night — $2,800 inpatient day
- •Bed blocked for next incoming patient
- •Facility frustrated with plan's NEMT reliability
- DCR confirms same-day stretcher van availability
- Pickup at 2 PM, bed-to-bed transfer with oxygen support
- Patient home by 3:30 PM — bed freed for next admission
- Facility sees plan's NEMT benefit actually works
Illinois Health Plans We Serve
Medicaid MCOs & Special Needs Plans in Our Network
Dream Care Rides serves members across Illinois Medicaid Managed Care Organizations and Medicare Special Needs Plans. We bill directly or through NEMT brokers.
Illinois Medicaid MCOs
Molina Healthcare of Illinois
Medicaid Managed Care
Meridian Health Plan (Centene)
Medicaid Managed Care
Blue Cross Blue Shield Community
Medicaid Managed Care
Aetna Better Health of Illinois
Medicaid Managed Care
CountyCare (Cook County)
Medicaid Managed Care
I-SNP & FIDE-SNP Plans
Humana Longevity Health Plan
I-SNP — Cook, Lake, DuPage
Humana FIDE-SNP
Fully Integrated Dual Eligible — Statewide
Aetna Medicare FIDE
FIDE-SNP — Statewide
Molina Medicare Complete Care Plus
FIDE-SNP — Statewide
Wellcare Meridian Dual Align
FIDE-SNP — Statewide
Don't see your plan? We're actively seeking new health plan partnerships in Illinois. If your organization needs reliable stretcher transport capacity, let's start a conversation.
Operational Profile
What Dream Care Rides Brings to Your Network
An IDPH-licensed, Medicaid-enrolled stretcher van provider with in-house operations and proven performance across Illinois.
80+
Illinois Cities Covered
Active service area spanning Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, and surrounding counties. Expanding quarterly.
99%+
On-Time Rate
Measured across all trip types — ambulatory, wheelchair, and stretcher. Consistent performance your members depend on.
3
Service Levels
Ambulatory (sedan/SUV), wheelchair-accessible van with hydraulic lift, and stretcher van with Broda Traversa system. Bariatric-capable (300+ lbs).
100%
In-House Fleet
We own and operate every vehicle. No subcontractors, no inconsistent drivers. Direct quality control on every trip.
Operational Capabilities
Bed-to-Bed Stretcher Protocol
Driver + trained attendant for every stretcher trip. Broda Traversa comfort transport system. Room-to-room service in facilities.
Real-Time GPS Tracking
Every vehicle tracked live. Automated ETAs, pickup confirmations, and drop-off notifications for your care coordinators.
Standing Order Support
Recurring trip schedules for dialysis, chemotherapy, wound care, and therapy. Consistent driver assignment builds member trust.
Proactive Communication
Status updates at every milestone. No-show alerts within minutes. Your members are never left waiting without notice.
Same-Day Availability
We maintain fleet capacity for urgent and same-day stretcher requests — hospital discharges, facility transfers, and unexpected medical appointments.
Trip Data & Reporting
GPS-verified pickup and drop-off timestamps, trip completion data, and utilization reports to support your quality reporting needs.
Quality Impact
How Reliable Stretcher Transport Improves Your Quality Metrics
Transportation reliability directly impacts the quality measures that determine your STAR ratings and quality bonus payments.
HEDIS Appointment Adherence
Reliable transportation means members make their appointments. Every completed trip supports your HEDIS quality measures for appointment access and preventive care.
Reduced Avoidable ER & Readmissions
Members who make follow-up and discharge appointments are less likely to end up in the ER or be readmitted. Reliable stretcher transport is a direct lever on your readmission rates.
CAHPS Member Experience
On-time, comfortable door-to-door service with trained drivers improves how members rate their plan experience. CAHPS scores feed directly into STAR ratings.
Grievance Reduction
Transportation is one of the top grievance categories for plans with dual-eligible members. A reliable stretcher provider directly reduces complaint volume and improves member retention.
Direct Partnership
Why Health Plans Work Directly With Us
Whether through your NEMT broker or as a direct network provider, here's what makes Dream Care Rides different.
Single Point of Contact
One dedicated provider relations manager for your account. Direct communication with our operations team — no broker queues or middlemen delays.
In-House Fleet & Quality Control
We own and operate every vehicle. No subcontracted drivers. Every trip meets our credentialing, safety, and service standards consistently.
Real-Time Trip Visibility
GPS-tracked rides with live status updates. Your care coordinators know exactly when members are picked up, in transit, and dropped off.
Faster Issue Resolution
When you work directly with the provider, issues get resolved in hours — not days. No back-and-forth between broker and provider layers.
Transdev NEMT Broker — Requesting Dream Care Rides
If your plan uses Transdev as an NEMT broker: when Transdev asks for your preferred transportation company, request Dream Care Rides.
Selecting Dream Care Rides as your preferred provider does not automatically route rides to us. After Transdev issues an authorization number, the facility or coordinator should call us directly with the authorization number. Once we verify the authorization, the ride will be confirmed and scheduled.
How it works:
- Tell Transdev your preferred provider is Dream Care Rides
- Transdev issues an authorization number
- Call us at (708) 505-6994 with the authorization number
- We verify and confirm your ride
Currently credentialed in Humana's SafeRide Health network. Ready for additional network enrollment.
Schedule a ConversationCompliance Ready
Credentials & Documentation
Everything your network development team needs for credentialing — ready to submit within 24 hours of request.
IDPH Licensed — Illinois
Stretcher Van Provider under 77 Ill. Admin. Code 515.
NPI #1033989991
National Provider Identifier — registered and active.
IMPACT Enrolled
Illinois Medicaid stretcher van provider. Enrolled in Illinois IMPACT system.
SafeRide Health Credentialed
Credentialed NEMT provider in Humana's SafeRide Health network.
HIPAA-Compliant Operations
All staff trained. PHI protocols enforced. Business Associate Agreement (BAA) available.
Commercial Auto + General Liability Insurance
Comprehensive coverage for all vehicles and operations. COI available within 24 hours.
W-9 & Credentialing Packet Ready
Complete credentialing documentation ready for immediate submission to your network development team.
Service Area: 80+ Cities in Illinois
Active coverage across Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, and surrounding counties. Expanding quarterly.
Resources for Health Plans
Guides, Data, and Documentation
Resources for transportation directors, network development teams, and care coordination managers evaluating stretcher transport solutions in Illinois.
Stretcher Transport Cost Analysis
How stretcher no-shows drive 911 ambulance defaults — and what it costs Illinois health plans annually. Includes per-member cost modeling for dual-eligible populations.
Request This ResourceI-SNP & FIDE-SNP Transport Requirements
A reference guide for transportation coordinators managing institutional and dual-eligible SNP members in Illinois. Covers stretcher-level needs, PA workflows, and member scenarios.
Request This ResourceDCR Capability Overview & Credentials
One-page overview of Dream Care Rides: NPI, insurance, licensing, fleet details, service area, HCPCS codes, and credentialing contacts. Designed for network development teams.
Request This ResourceSTAR Ratings & Transportation Connection
How NEMT reliability maps to CMS quality measures — HEDIS appointment adherence, CAHPS member experience, and the downstream impact on STAR ratings and quality bonus payments.
Request This ResourceAll resources are available at no cost. Schedule a brief conversation below and we'll send the materials that match your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions From Health Plans & Transportation Directors
Next Step
Schedule a 15-Minute Conversation
Not a sales call. A brief conversation to understand your plan's stretcher transport needs and share the data that's relevant to your network.
We'll cover your service area needs, trip volume, and any specific scenarios your members face. If there's a fit, we'll send our credential packet within 24 hours.