A Medicaid benefit provided through an arrangement with Craven County Transportation Services (CARTS) and other private vendors is assistance with transportation to medical appointments.

Craven County residents receiving full-coverage Medicaid are eligible to receive free transportation to medical services, provided they have no other means of transportation.  Medicaid recipients who provide their own transportation to these services may receive reimbursement if providing their own transportation is a hardship.

Contact Medicaid Transportation at (252) 636-4900 to make transportation arrangements.

Important Guidelines

• Free transportation is only provided to Medicaid-covered services, including pharmacy trips to pick up prescriptions.
• State Medicaid rules require that recipients use the nearest provider and trips are made in the most efficient manner. Under special circumstances, you can visit an out-of-town doctor, but CARTS and local vendors can serve you better if you use a local provider.
• Recipients can only receive or be reimbursed for one round trip per day. Plan ahead to include all necessary stops in this one trip; see your doctor, then stop at the pharmacy on the way back home to pick up prescriptions.
• Medicaid will also provide transportation for a Transportation Aide to accompany children (usually a parent), persons in wheelchairs, or those whose doctor requires one on these trips. Under certain situations, a non-family member aide may also receive reimbursement for some of their time. This should all be discussed during the initial call to the transportation coordinator.
• Regular and motorized wheelchairs as well as scooter chairs with seat belts and tie-downs can be transported on CARTS vans and private vendor vans. There are, however, only a limited number of wheelchair spaces each day; clients needing these spaces are urged to schedule transportation as soon as possible.