MTM has announced that it will continue serving as Rhode Island’s non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) broker until at least 2026. Since January 2019, MTM has been providing rides to medical care for eligible residents under the statewide program. The NEMT program, which is operated by MTM, offers 2.4 million trips annually to 310,000 eligible Medicaid members, Elderly Transportation Program (ETP) participants, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF/RI Works) program participants.
Since 2014, the state’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) has been relying on the broker model to arrange NEMT services. MTM has been serving as EOHHS’s NEMT broker for four years, and with the new upcoming contract term of at least three years, it will continue to do so longer than any other vendor in the past.
“Rhode Island’s NEMT program is complicated, and the nuances between Medicaid, ETP, and TANF transportation challenged our teams to develop custom solutions and processes,” said MTM President and CEO Alaina Maciá. “Our four years in Rhode Island haven’t been without difficulties, but our local team has worked tirelessly to address program concerns, quickly implement solutions, and continually improve the services we offer to the state’s residents.”
Each month, EOHHS reviews MTM’s performance. In the most recent reporting period, MTM exceeded all performance metrics. Recent performance highlights include:
- A 2022 complaint-free trip rate of 99.96%
- 99% encounter acceptance
- An average transportation provider no-show rate of just 0.25% since November 2021
- A 66% decrease in transportation-related complaints from 2019 to 2022
- Industry-leading customer service performance, including an average speed of answer of just 17 seconds and an average call handle time of six minutes in 2022
MTM maintains a local team of 44 employees, including 18 Customer Care Representatives who handle more than 342,000 calls from members annually. To support the program, MTM also maintains an extensive network of 89 credentialed transportation providers across the state, representing more than 700 credentialed vehicles and 500 trained drivers. MTM has continually ensured passenger safety through ongoing provider monitoring and oversight. Since January 2022, the company has completed 81 on-site safety audits and observed more than 430 vehicles, averaging 108 driver and vehicle checks per quarter.
“Since implementing the program in 2019, MTM has focused on improving our Rhode Island operations, with an emphasis on improving access to healthcare and community services, introducing innovative technology, and ensuring safety and quality,” said MTM’s Rhode Island Program Director Sara Harrison, who has been with the company since the start of its local operations. “We truly understand the state’s NEMT landscape and look forward to building upon our existing operations to help EOHHS achieve its NEMT goals and improve transportation services.”
MTM is the nation’s most trusted and qualified partner for healthcare, transportation, and logistics solutions. Since 1995, MTM has managed NEMT for state and county governments, managed care organizations, health systems, and other programs involving transportation for the disabled, underserved, and elderly.