Transportation and Gas Reimbursement

Sunflower covers emergency ambulance ground transportation to the nearest hospital for emergency care. Ambulance transportation to the hospital emergency room in non-emergency situations is not a covered service under Sunflower. You may have to pay for it. Ambulance transportation from a healthcare facility to another healthcare facility is covered only when it is medically necessary. It also has to be arranged and approved by a Sunflower network provider.

Need help getting to your healthcare appointments? Gas reimbursement can help you get there.

• If you have a car, you can receive $0.60 per mile to get to and from your healthcare appointments.
• The same amount can be paid to your friend, relative, or neighbor who drives you.
• You must call for a trip form before the appointment. Requests made after your appointment are not payable.

What types of appointments qualify for gas reimbursement?

Gas reimbursement is allowed for any Sunflower-covered healthcare appointment. This includes trips to your primary care provider, eye exams, dental visits and more.

How to sign up as a registered driver?

Members and their drivers can visit SafeRide Health to register.

How can I schedule a ride for gas reimbursement?

1. Call us toll free 1-877-644-4623 before your scheduled appointment to register the ride for gas mileage reimbursement.
2. Download a trip form (PDF).
3. Write down the job/trip number given to you by the reservation specialist. You will also write down the name and address of the driver. See “how to sign up as a registered driver” for more details. Trips will not be reimbursed to those who are not registered.
4. *Your doctor/counselor must sign the trip form to show you were at the scheduled appointment in order for gas reimbursement to be paid to you or your driver.

Before mailing in your trip form for payment:

1. The job/trip number must be written on the form. The job/trip number was given to you when you made the first phone call.
2. Confirm the name and address of the driver with the reservation specialist.
3. Fill in all the blanks on the form, but do not fill in the Physician/Clinician Signature space. That part must be signed at your appointment by the doctor/counselor.
4. If you go to your healthcare appointment more than once per month, you can put several trips on one form.
5. Important! Only you or the person’s name you gave as the driver at the time of the reservation will be paid. This means that only you or your driver (friend, family, or neighbor) will receive the payment. If you have different drivers, you must submit a separate form for each driver. You can make copies of the blank form if you need more than one.
6. Important! Gas reimbursement forms MUST be received within 180 days of the trip date. Gas reimbursement forms received 180 days after the trip date will not be paid.

Completed forms can be sent to:

Mail: SafeRide Claims Department
106 Jefferson, Suite 300
San Antonio, TX 78205

Fax: 1-888-453-5398

Email:  Sunflower_Claims@Saferidehealth.com

Please allow 30 days for payment to be processed upon receipt of a fully completed gas reimbursement form. For questions about your claim, call 855-932-2331. Drivers will be reimbursed through electronic direct deposit or paper check.  

NEMT stands for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation. NEMT should only be used when you do not have a way to get to your in-network healthcare appointment.

We may use public transportation or bus tokens, vans, taxis, or even a stretcher vehicle, if necessary, to get you to your healthcare appointment. Sunflower will give you a ride that meets your needs. You do not get to choose what kind of car or van or the company that will give you the ride. Members may also use these services for meals and lodging. Please call SafeRide Health to schedule to ensure reimbursement.

What are the NEMT guidelines for services?

• You must be enrolled with Sunflower Health Plan's Medicaid plan on the day of your appointment.
• If you have not met your spenddown, you may have to pay for your trip. Members with a spenddown can apply these transportation costs to their spenddown.
• Use if no other free transportation options are available to you such as volunteer, community or other.
• Some people do not get NEMT as part of their benefits. To check, call Customer Service toll free 1-877-644-4623.
• Children who are under age 17 must have an adult ride with them.
• We will only pay for one child and one parent/guardian and/or an attendant if your child is under age 21 and needs to be away from home overnight or needs someone to be with him/her. We will not pay for other children or adults.

What healthcare services can I get NEMT to take me to?

• Any healthcare appointment that is covered on your benefit plan with Sunflower. This includes trips to your primary care provider, eye exams, dental visits and more.
• The appointment is to a healthcare provider near where you live. If the provider is far away, you may need to say why you are going to this provider and get approval from Sunflower. There are rules about how far you can travel to a healthcare appointment and get a ride.
• Transportation is available for services received within the State of Kansas or to an approved Kansas border city as long as you are traveling to the closest available provider for your medical condition. Reimbursement is not made if you choose to travel to another community for a service that is already available in your community. NEMT guidelines are for in-state and approved border cities, not for out-of-state transportation.

How do I use the NEMT program?

To schedule a NEMT ride, you must call at least three days before the day of the in-network appointment, or you may not get a ride. You may be able to get a ride sooner if your healthcare provider gives you an urgent-care appointment. If the appointment is urgent, you must say this when calling to schedule your trip.

Call toll free at 1-877-917-8162. You can also call Sunflower Customer Service toll free 1-877-644-4623.

On the day of your trip, call 1-877-917-8162 toll free if you have questions about your ride or to request pickup after your appointment.

Do not use NEMT for emergencies. If you have an emergency, dial 911 or the local emergency phone number.

See more details about each of these benefits on our Extra Services page.

• Social transportation: Three round trips per year for members on the Frail Elderly, Physical Disability and Brain Injury waivers to attend local events and social activities. Sunflower can help members find events and activities to attend.
  
• Transportation to WIC Appointments: Sunflower makes rides available to pregnant moms and their babies. This value-added benefit gives moms and babies eight one-way trips per year to their Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) office using our transportation vendor.
  
  Even if the mom is no longer a KanCare member, the baby (Sunflower member) still gets this service, allowing mom to use available WIC services. Schedule rides by calling toll free 1-877-917-8162.
• GROW (GED, Rides, Opportunities, Work): This is an employment support resource program. Benefits include enhanced transportation coverage when seeking employment.