24% of Medicare Advantage Plans Include Transportation Benefits

Access to reliable transportation is a significant barrier to healthcare for many older adults and individuals with disabilities. Missing appointments due to lack of transportation can lead to delayed diagnoses, unmanaged chronic conditions, and ultimately higher healthcare costs. Recognizing this connection, a portion of Medicare Advantage plans have started incorporating transportation as a covered benefit.

Understanding the Transportation Benefit Landscape

According to available data, approximately 24% of Medicare Advantage plans in the United States offer some form of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) as a supplemental benefit. This typically covers rides to and from doctor visits, specialist appointments, dialysis centers, or other approved medical destinations. The specifics vary widely between plans, including the number of trips allowed per year, the types of vehicles covered, and whether the benefit extends to non-medical destinations such as pharmacies or fitness centers.

For enrollees who do not drive or lack access to public transit, this benefit can be transformative. Older adults in rural areas, in particular, may face significant distances between their homes and the nearest healthcare providers, making transportation coverage more than a convenience — it becomes a necessity.

Medicare Plan Coverage: What Enrollees Should Know

Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans are offered by private insurers approved by Medicare and are required to cover everything that Original Medicare covers, but they are also permitted to offer additional benefits beyond those requirements. Transportation is one such optional supplemental benefit, alongside dental, vision, hearing, and fitness programs.

Not all Medicare Advantage plans are structured the same way. Coverage availability depends on the insurer, the geographic region, and the specific plan type. Enrollees are encouraged to review the Summary of Benefits and Evidence of Coverage documents for any plan they are considering to understand exactly what transportation services are included, whether prior authorization is required, and which providers or services qualify.

The Broader Context of Medicare Advantage Benefits

The inclusion of transportation in Medicare Advantage plans is part of a wider trend toward addressing social determinants of health — the non-clinical factors that influence a person’s overall wellbeing. These include housing stability, food access, social isolation, and yes, transportation. Federal regulators have expanded flexibility for Medicare Advantage plans to cover these types of benefits in recent years, and many insurers have responded by expanding their supplemental offerings.

This shift signals a growing acknowledgment that health outcomes are not solely determined by what happens inside a clinic or hospital. Plans that address the full picture of a member’s daily life may be better positioned to reduce preventable hospitalizations and improve long-term health metrics.

Specialized Plans Show Different Priorities

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) and Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs), which serve individuals with chronic conditions or those enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, tend to place a higher priority on benefits like transportation. These populations often face greater barriers to access, and their plans are designed with those challenges in mind. As a result, transportation coverage rates among SNPs are generally higher than among standard Medicare Advantage plans.

Chronically ill enrollees, for instance, may require frequent specialist visits or regular treatment such as chemotherapy or dialysis. For these members, consistent transportation coverage is not supplemental in a practical sense — it is foundational to maintaining their care schedule.

Looking Forward: The Case for Expanded Access

Despite the progress, 24% still represents a minority of available plans. Advocates for older adults and disability rights organizations have long called for broader inclusion of transportation benefits across all Medicare Advantage offerings. As the U.S. population continues to age and as more Americans rely on Medicare Advantage as their primary form of coverage, the pressure on insurers to address access-related barriers is likely to grow.

Policymakers and consumer advocates alike are increasingly pointing to transportation as a cost-effective investment. When patients can consistently reach their providers, conditions are caught earlier, treatment compliance improves, and emergency interventions become less frequent. The data supporting this connection is growing, and it is reshaping how both insurers and regulators approach plan design.

For current and prospective Medicare Advantage enrollees, it is worth taking time during open enrollment periods to specifically look for transportation as a listed benefit. Comparing plan options side by side — including this often-overlooked feature — can make a meaningful difference in both quality of care and daily quality of life.