1. Are you credentialed with MAS for Medicaid transportation in New York?
This is the first and most important question if you have Medicaid. MAS (Medical Answering Services) is the state-contracted broker that coordinates all Medicaid NEMT in New York — including Long Island. Only providers who are formally credentialed by MAS can receive Medicaid-authorized trip assignments and bill Medicaid on your behalf. An uncredentialed provider may tell you they "accept Medicaid," but if they are not in the MAS vendor network, they cannot actually process your trip as a Medicaid benefit. You may end up responsible for the cost.
The answer you want to hear: "Yes, we are a credentialed MAS transportation provider." Ask follow-up: "Can you confirm you serve my specific pickup zip code and the facility I need to reach?" A credentialed provider should be able to answer both of those questions confidently without vague hedging.
2. What types of vehicles do you operate?
NEMT providers vary significantly in their vehicle fleets. Some operate only ambulatory sedans or minivans. Others have wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Some offer ambulette service (where the patient stays in their wheelchair throughout the trip). Understanding what a provider's fleet actually includes — not just what their website says — helps you confirm they can serve your specific mobility needs.
Ask specifically: "Do you have vehicles that can accommodate a wheelchair user who needs to transfer to a seat?" or "Do you have lift-equipped ambulette vehicles for passengers who need to remain in their chair?" If the provider gives a vague answer or seems unsure, follow up. Booking the wrong vehicle type creates problems on the day of your appointment when the wrong truck shows up.
3. Do you provide door-through-door assistance?
There is a meaningful difference between a provider who waits at the curb and one who comes to your door. Door-to-door service means the driver comes from the street to your building entrance. Door-through-door service means the driver comes to your actual apartment or home door, assists you to the vehicle, drives you to the facility, and escorts you through the medical facility entrance. For patients with mobility limitations, the difference between these two service levels is significant.
Ask: "Do your drivers come to the patient's door — not just the building entrance — and escort the patient all the way into the medical facility?" A quality NEMT provider should offer full door-through-door service as standard. At DachiPlus, door-through-door escort is included in every trip at no additional cost.
4. Can you accommodate my specific mobility aids?
Mobility situations are specific. A four-wheeled rollator walker is different from a cane. A manual transport wheelchair is different from a power wheelchair. A bariatric wheelchair has different weight and size requirements than a standard one. Providers who cannot answer specific questions about their equipment handling may not be equipped to serve you safely.
Before your first trip, tell the provider exactly what you use and ask: "Can your vehicle and driver safely accommodate my specific walker/wheelchair/mobility aid?" Also ask about storage — if you are ambulatory but travel with a rollator, where does it go during the trip? If you are transferring from a wheelchair, how is the chair stored and returned to you at the destination? Clear, specific answers indicate a provider who has thought through these logistics.
5. What is the cancellation and rescheduling policy?
Medical appointments get rescheduled. Patients have bad days. Knowing the provider's cancellation policy before you book tells you what flexibility you have — and what you might owe if plans change last-minute.
For Medicaid NEMT booked through MAS, cancellations should be reported to MAS at 1-844-666-6270 as soon as possible. For private pay trips, cancellation policies vary by provider. Ask: "How much notice do you require to cancel without a fee?" and "What happens if there is an urgent medical situation and I need to cancel same-day?" A transparent provider has a clear, simple answer to both questions. Be cautious of providers with opaque or punitive cancellation terms.
6. Do you offer standing orders for recurring appointments?
If you have regular medical appointments — dialysis three times a week, weekly chemotherapy, bi-weekly physical therapy — you need a provider who can handle standing orders. A standing order is a pre-arranged recurring booking that covers all your trips within a schedule for a set period, without requiring you to call for each appointment separately.
Not every provider has the operational structure to handle standing orders reliably. Ask: "If I have recurring weekly appointments, can you set up a standing order so I don't need to call each time?" Also ask: "Will I have the same driver for my recurring appointments?" A provider who cannot offer consistent standing-order scheduling may not be a good fit for dialysis or chemotherapy patients who rely on punctual, repeating service.
7. Is there a companion seat for a family member or aide?
Many patients travel to medical appointments with a spouse, family member, or personal aide. Whether a companion can ride along affects how you plan your care. Under Medicaid, companion eligibility depends on MAS authorization — ask MAS at the time of booking whether a companion seat is approved for your trip type. For private pay trips, companion seating is a provider decision.
Ask any provider: "Can a family member or personal aide ride with me?" and "Is there an extra charge for a companion?" Quality providers include one companion seat as part of the standard service, particularly for patients who need an aide present for safety or comfort. Confirm this before your first trip so no one shows up at the door expecting to ride and is turned away.
8. What is your on-time performance like?
Medical appointments have windows. Missing your appointment time at a dialysis center, chemotherapy infusion center, or imaging suite has real consequences — some of these appointments cannot simply be pushed 20 minutes. On-time arrival is not a luxury; it is a clinical requirement for many patients.
Ask: "How far in advance of my appointment time do you typically arrive?" and "What is your approach when a trip is running behind?" The best providers send drivers with buffer time built in — not arriving at the appointment time, but arriving early enough that patients can check in, get settled, and begin treatment on schedule. A specific, confident answer ("We aim to arrive 15 minutes before your appointment") is more reassuring than a vague "We try our best."
9. How do I contact the driver or dispatcher on the day of the trip?
On the day of a medical appointment, things move quickly. If a driver is running late, if a patient needs to confirm the pickup, or if the appointment finishes earlier or later than expected, you need to be able to reach someone directly and immediately. A provider who routes all day-of contact through a general voicemail, an app message, or a national call center that cannot reach local dispatchers is not set up for the real-world demands of medical transportation.
Ask: "Is there a direct phone number I can call on the day of my trip to reach a dispatcher or driver?" The answer should be yes, with a specific phone number — not a website or app. At DachiPlus, you can always reach our dispatch team at (516) 754-7777 during our operating hours, Monday through Saturday, 6 AM to 8 PM.
10. What payment methods and insurance do you accept?
Before booking, confirm that the provider can actually process your payment or insurance type without complications. If you have Medicaid, confirm MAS credentialing (question 1). If you have Medicare Advantage, ask whether the provider is in-network for your specific plan. If you have workers' comp or no-fault auto, ask whether the provider bills carriers directly. If you are paying privately, confirm accepted payment methods (credit, debit, HSA/FSA, cash).
Discovering a billing mismatch after your first trip — or worse, being asked for cash on the spot because the provider cannot process your insurance — is avoidable. A ten-second question during the booking call prevents a lot of frustration later. Ask: "I have [insurance type/plan name]. Can you confirm you accept that and how billing works?" A good provider will answer clearly and, if they cannot process a particular payment type, tell you honestly.
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Ask us any of these questions — we have a clear answer for all of them.
DachiPlus is MAS-credentialed, background-checked, door-through-door, companion-friendly, and reachable by phone on the day of every trip. Call and ask us anything.