Medicaid-Covered Medical Transportation
Medicaid Rides That Actually Show Up
Tired of missed rides, long hold times, and no-shows? Dream Care Rides is a Medicaid-enrolled provider serving Palatine and Olympia Fields. We handle your prior authorization, set up your recurring schedule, and show up on time — every time.
We specialize in recurring rides for dialysis, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, physical therapy, behavioral health, and wound care appointments.
Do I Qualify?
Three Simple Questions
If you can answer "yes" to all three, we can help you get free rides to your medical appointments.
Do you have Illinois Medicaid?
This includes Fee-for-Service Medicaid and Managed Care plans like Meridian, Molina, Blue Cross Community, Aetna Better Health, or CountyCare.
Do you need recurring rides to medical appointments?
Dialysis, chemotherapy, radiation, physical therapy, wound care, behavioral health, cardiac rehab, or other ongoing treatments.
Do you live within our service area?
Within 10 miles of our Palatine office (northwest suburbs) or our Olympia Fields office (south suburbs). See the full list of cities below.
Palatine Office — Northwest Suburbs
10-mile service radius
Olympia Fields Office — South Suburbs
10-mile service radius
How It Works
From First Call to Every Ride — We Handle Everything
You should not have to navigate a complicated system to get to your doctor. Here is how we make it simple.
Step 1
Tell Us About Your Rides
Call us or fill out the form below with your Medicaid ID, appointment details, and schedule. We verify your eligibility and determine if you are Fee-for-Service or Managed Care.
Step 2
We Handle the Prior Authorization
We contact Transdev (for FFS members) or your MCO on your behalf. We submit all paperwork, obtain your Prior Authorization number, and set up standing orders for recurring rides.
Step 3
Your Schedule Is Set
We assign a consistent driver who knows your route. You receive a text the day before each ride confirming pickup time and driver name. No more guessing.
Step 4
We Show Up. Every Time.
Your driver arrives on time, helps you door-through-door, and waits for you. We handle all billing directly to Medicaid. You pay nothing out of pocket.
Tell Us About Your Rides
Call us or fill out the form below with your Medicaid ID, appointment details, and schedule. We verify your eligibility and determine if you are Fee-for-Service or Managed Care.
We Handle the Prior Authorization
We contact Transdev (for FFS members) or your MCO on your behalf. We submit all paperwork, obtain your Prior Authorization number, and set up standing orders for recurring rides.
Your Schedule Is Set
We assign a consistent driver who knows your route. You receive a text the day before each ride confirming pickup time and driver name. No more guessing.
We Show Up. Every Time.
Your driver arrives on time, helps you door-through-door, and waits for you. We handle all billing directly to Medicaid. You pay nothing out of pocket.
Recurring Rides We Specialize In
Built for Your Treatment Schedule
We focus on recurring medical appointments where reliable transportation matters most.
Dialysis
3x per weekThe most common recurring Medicaid ride. We set up a standing schedule so you never miss a session. Same driver, same time, every week.
Chemotherapy
Weekly to bi-weeklyCancer treatment rides require reliability and compassion. We provide door-through-door assistance and wait for you during treatment.
Radiation Therapy
Daily, 5 days/weekHigh-frequency appointments for 4-8 weeks. We build your daily schedule into our route planning for consistent, on-time pickups.
Physical Therapy & Rehab
2-3x per weekRecovery depends on consistency. We make sure you get to every PT session, whether it is post-surgical rehab or chronic pain management.
Behavioral Health
Weekly to bi-weeklyMental health and substance abuse treatment appointments. Missed sessions can mean setbacks. We provide reliable, judgment-free transport.
Wound Care
2-3x per weekDiabetic wound care, post-surgical wound management, and chronic wound treatment. We accommodate wheelchair and stretcher patients.
Why Switch to Us
The Difference Between a Broker and a Direct Provider
Your Medicaid benefit covers the same rides. The difference is who shows up.
| Factor | Typical Broker Experience | Dream Care Rides |
|---|---|---|
| Booking Experience | Call center, 30-60 min hold times, different person every time | Direct phone line. Speak to a real person in minutes. Same contact for all your rides. |
| Prior Authorization | You are responsible for navigating the PA process yourself | We handle it for you — or walk you through it step by step |
| Driver Consistency | Different driver every trip. They may not know your area. | Same driver assigned to your recurring rides. They know your route. |
| On-Time Performance | Industry average: 75-85%. Frequent late arrivals and no-shows. | Local routes within 10 miles. Target: 95%+ on-time arrival. |
| Communication | No updates. You wait and wonder if the ride is coming. | Text confirmations, driver ETA, and real-time tracking. |
| Problem Resolution | Call the broker, start over, wait on hold again. | Call the same person who set up your rides. Immediate response. |
| Cost to You | $0 (Medicaid covered) | $0 (Medicaid covered) — same benefit, better service |
Booking Experience
Call center, 30-60 min hold times, different person every time
Direct phone line. Speak to a real person in minutes. Same contact for all your rides.
Prior Authorization
You are responsible for navigating the PA process yourself
We handle it for you — or walk you through it step by step
Driver Consistency
Different driver every trip. They may not know your area.
Same driver assigned to your recurring rides. They know your route.
On-Time Performance
Industry average: 75-85%. Frequent late arrivals and no-shows.
Local routes within 10 miles. Target: 95%+ on-time arrival.
Communication
No updates. You wait and wonder if the ride is coming.
Text confirmations, driver ETA, and real-time tracking.
Problem Resolution
Call the broker, start over, wait on hold again.
Call the same person who set up your rides. Immediate response.
Cost to You
$0 (Medicaid covered)
$0 (Medicaid covered) — same benefit, better service
Get Started
Request Your Medicaid Rides
Fill out this form and our team will handle the rest — eligibility verification, prior authorization, and scheduling. You can also call us at (866) 507-5724.
Want to Do It Yourself?
How to Get Your Own Prior Authorization
We handle this for you, but if you prefer to request your own Prior Authorization, here is everything you need.
Fee-for-Service Members
Contact Transdev (NETSPAP)
Member Phone
(877) 725-0569Fax
(630) 873-1450
us.tru.efax@transdev.com (trip requests)
Hours
Mon-Fri, 8 AM - 5 PM (excl. Federal Holidays)
Information You Need When Calling
- Your Medicaid ID number (RIN)
- Date of birth and full name
- Phone number
- Doctor/facility name, address, and phone
- Appointment date and time
- Pickup and drop-off addresses
- Mobility needs (walker, wheelchair, stretcher)
- Whether you can travel independently
- Request Dream Care Rides by name as your provider
Important: When Transdev asks for your preferred transportation company, say "Dream Care Rides". This routes the ride to us directly.
Managed Care Members
Contact your health plan
If you are enrolled in a Managed Care plan, call the member services number on the back of your insurance card. Tell them you need recurring non-emergency medical transportation and request Dream Care Rides as your provider.
Meridian Health Plan
Via: MTM
Molina Healthcare
Via: MTM
Blue Cross Community
Via: Plan direct
Aetna Better Health
Via: Plan direct
CountyCare
Via: Plan direct
Don't know which plan you have? Look at the front of your insurance card. It will show the plan name. If you're still unsure, call us at (866) 507-5724 and we will help you figure it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Questions, Answered
Correct. If you have Illinois Medicaid (Fee-for-Service or Managed Care), your non-emergency medical transportation is a covered benefit. We bill Medicaid directly. You pay nothing out of pocket for covered rides.
A Prior Authorization (PA) is pre-approval from Medicaid or your health plan confirming that your transportation is medically necessary and covered. Without it, the ride cannot be billed to Medicaid. The good news: we handle the entire PA process for you.
Once we have your information, we can typically verify your eligibility same-day and submit the PA request within 24 hours. PA approval usually takes 3-5 business days. For urgent situations (hospital discharge, next-day appointment), we can request expedited processing.
No problem. Give us your Medicaid ID number and we will check for you. We can verify your enrollment status and determine which plan you are on. Call us at (866) 507-5724 or include your Medicaid ID on the intake form.
We currently accept Medicaid rides within 10 miles of our Palatine and Olympia Fields offices. If you live outside this area, we can still help you as a private pay patient or refer you to a partner provider. We are expanding our Medicaid coverage area, so check back with us.
We operate sedans (ambulatory transport), wheelchair-accessible vans with hydraulic lifts, and stretcher/gurney vehicles including Broda Traversa chairs. Whatever your mobility needs, we have the right vehicle.
We assign a consistent driver to your recurring schedule whenever possible. Your driver will learn your route, your preferences, and your needs. This is one of the biggest differences between us and a broker — you are not a random trip number.
Call us at least 24 hours before your scheduled ride. We will adjust your schedule and notify your driver. For recurring rides, we can modify individual trips without affecting your entire standing order.
For most recurring Medicaid rides, you need a Physician Certification Statement (PCS / HFS 2270 form). We coordinate this with your doctor's office — just provide us with your physician's name and phone number, and we handle the rest.
We will help you understand the denial reason and assist with the appeal. Common reasons include missing documentation or incorrect information. In most cases, we can resubmit with additional documentation from your doctor and get approval.