How to Get a Free Ride to Your Ketamine Treatments

If you’re on Medicare and struggling to get to your doctor, dialysis center, or therapy appointments, here’s the hard truth: in most cases, Medicare won’t pay for your ride.

Original Medicare (Parts A & B) almost never covers non-emergency transportation. Unless you need an ambulance—and a doctor signs off that you absolutely can’t ride in anything else—it’s on you to figure out how to get there. Wheelchair vans, taxis, rideshares, or help from friends? Not covered.

That’s the frustrating part. But here’s the strange, hopeful twist: every state has a program designed to help you anyway.

It’s usually called something like SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Elders), and it exists to help Medicare beneficiaries understand their coverage—and fill in the gaps. Even though Medicare is a federal program and the rules don’t change from state to state, these state-sponsored SHINE counselors are your best shot at figuring out if you qualify for any kind of transportation with Medicare.

They don’t work for any insurance company. They don’t sell anything. They just help you figure out what benefits you actually have—and what other options exist if you don’t have enough.

So What Can SHINE Help You With?

• They can tell you if your Advantage (Part C) plan includes transportation with Medicare. These private Medicare plans often include rides to medical appointments as a “supplemental benefit”—but every plan is different.
• They can walk you through your plan documents and explain what kind of rides are covered, how to book them, and what the limits are (like how many trips per year).
• They can refer you to other programs in your area—including local senior ride programs, volunteer transportation services, paratransit, or even Medicaid (if you qualify).

But Wait—Doesn’t Medicare Sometimes Pay?

In very limited cases, yes. But only if:

• You physically cannot get to care by any means other than ambulance
• You have a serious medical condition that requires monitoring during the ride
• A doctor has written an order certifying the need

Even then, it must be pre-approved, and only certain destinations (like the nearest appropriate hospital or dialysis center) are allowed. Anything else is almost always denied.

What About Medicare Advantage Plans?

This is where things get complicated—but promising.

Some Medicare Advantage plans do cover NEMT, but there’s no standard rule. One plan might offer unlimited rides to medical appointments. Another might limit you to 12 round trips a year. Some cover pharmacy pickups. Some don’t. Others include gym visits as part of preventive care. It all depends on your specific plan—not your state.

And that’s why SHINE matters.

Because unless you have the time, health, and internet savvy to decode a 200-page benefits manual, a SHINE counselor can do it for you—for free. They’ll pull up your plan, check your options, and tell you what to do next.

Why the Directory Below Exists

Even though Medicare rules are the same nationwide, the way you get help with transportation is completely state-specific. That’s why we built this directory.

Each state listing shows you how to reach your SHINE office or its equivalent, where to get answers, and who to call when you’re stuck. Whether you’re on Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan—or both Medicare and Medicaid—we’ll help you figure out what your next step should be.

Because too many people are skipping care they desperately need… not because of what Medicare does or doesn’t cover—but because they don’t know where to turn for help.

This directory is your first step.