RouteGenie: Medical Transportation Insights

RouteGenie
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Listen to our podcast if you want to learn more about the healthcare market and about technology that disrupts the industry.

  1. 4d ago

    Colorado Rate Cuts Close NEMT Providers | September NEMT News 2026

    September was defined by costs providers do not set.Colorado's July 1 rate change dropped the per-trip ambulatory rate to $12.15, down from $36.40, and mileage to $2.74. Transit-to-Care, serving the Pikes Peak region, closed September 1. Van With a Plan stopped transporting about 25 families and let roughly 15 people go, but it remains in operation. Those trips did not disappear. More than twenty providers still serve El Paso County, new provider enrollment reopens October 1, and the state moves to a single broker January 1.Fuel moved the same direction. Regular gasoline reached $4.48 a gallon for the week of September 21, up about 43 cents since mid-August. Diesel set a record weekly average above $6.50.The month was not all pressure. Iowa filed a state plan amendment adding non-emergency medical transportation for its Health and Wellness Plan population, creating new trip volume where none existed. New York City released Vision Zero Reimagined, a ten-year plan whose fleet safety commitments reach contracted and regulated fleets. Waymo launched transit rewards in the Bay Area, positioning autonomous service as a connection to transit rather than a replacement. And the Department of Transportation released America Leads, its updated national strategy for automated vehicles, with no binding rules yet and a roadmap running through 2030.Three Medicaid transportation contracts also changed hands in Virginia, Washington D.C., and Orange County, California. The lesson across all three is the same: a transition date on paper is not a transition date until the award clears and your paperwork is current.We close with the new episode of Inside the Lamp, where Cameron Craig talks with Jim Ingalls, Director of Operations at MediCab of Rochester. Jim joined as a driver in 1991 and is direct about the squeeze. Insurance on thirty-two vehicles ran over $500,000 this year while Medicaid reimbursement stayed flat.The through line is straightforward. The rate, the wage, and the price at the pump are set somewhere else. Routing, verification, credentialing, and service mix are set by you.Read the full issue: https://routegenie.com/blog/genie-journal-september-2026/Subscribe to The Genie Journal: https://go.routegenie.com/newsletterLearn about RouteGenie: https://routegenie.com

  2. 5d ago

    $500K on Insurance and Still Fully Booked: Jim Ingalls, MediCab of Rochester

    Driver in 1991. Director of Operations today. Jim Ingalls has spent 35 years at MediCab of Rochester, and he doesn't sugarcoat what it takes to run NEMT in New York right now. Cameron Craig sits down with Jim to talk about how a company started in 1975 out of a basement in Rochester became a 32-vehicle operation that's fully booked every day. Jim covers losing the adult day program business to a state rate cut, pivoting into car transports, and why they now run more taxis than wheelchair vans. He also gets into the real cost of doing business: over $500,000 a year on vehicle insurance, Medicaid rates that haven't kept pace with minimum wage, and GPS breadcrumb verification that can hold up payment for weeks when an appointment gets canceled. Plus how he got longtime drivers to buy into new technology, including an 80-year-old driver whose career got extended by it, and why the dash cams he fought against turned into his biggest win of the year. 00:00 Intro00:39 The MediCab of Rochester story03:00 From fax and paper to software04:47 Getting drivers on board with technology10:31 Fleet mix and the pivot away from adult day programs13:01 GPS verification and deviation requests in New York17:29 Insurance, wages, and Medicaid reimbursement rates20:50 Advice for new operators22:29 Dispatch: pre-planned routes vs on the fly23:58 The dash cam win25:50 What's next for MediCab Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJI2vZL9Gfg If you're building something interesting in transportation or care and want to join us on Inside the Lamp, fill out our guest form: https://forms.gle/RnaYKHUJsn4JtrNh7

  3. Aug 31

    $12M in Fake Medicaid Rides and a Broker Shakeup | Genie Journal Recap, August 2026

    Four people were charged this month over twelve million dollars in Medicaid transportation claims, and the operation behind it was never a transportation company. Prosecutors say it manufactured ride data and spoofed GPS coordinates, then supplied it to companies that billed Medicaid for trips that never happened. That is one of six stories in the August Genie Journal Recap, your monthly update on the regulatory, financial, and operational shifts shaping medical transportation. In this episode: (00:19) RouteGenie at NEMTAC Transform 2026 in Orlando, where accountability ran through the whole agenda(01:13) DOJ charges the "War Room" in a $12M Medicaid transportation fraud case, and what it means that the claims were caught as unmatched(03:04) Alabama, West Virginia and North Dakota put roughly $8.5M behind NEMT vehicles and wheelchair-accessible capacity(04:40) A 125-mile wheelchair ride to the Wisconsin State Capitol(05:47) Maine's high court upholds Modivcare's $750M MaineCare contract, and Montana moves to Modivcare on October 1(07:03) Nevada clears thousands of robotaxis for Las Vegas, and why the accessibility gap still matters(08:23) RouteGenie now integrates directly with Uber Health(08:52) A new Inside the Lamp episode with BraunAbility, plus Cameron Craig on the SourceForge Podcast August rewarded the same provider throughout: the one who can document the work, enroll early, and deliver the hands-on service technology still cannot. Subscribe to The Genie Journal newsletter: https://go.routegenie.com/newsletterBroker changes guide: https://routegenie.com/blog/nemt-broker-changes/Inside the Lamp with BraunAbility: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dN0Yib8Ho7E Sources: U.S. Department of Justice, Alabama Governor's Office, West Virginia Department of Health, North Dakota HHS, Wisconsin Examiner, Maine Morning Star, Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Montana DPHHS, TechCrunch, NEMTAC.

  4. Aug 28

    Can You Use Your Own Vehicle for NEMT? BraunAbility on Buying, Building, and What Comes Next

    Anyone can put a van in a garage and start cutting. That's not the same as building something that's ADA compliant, crash tested, and safe to put a passenger in. Cameron Craig, CEO of RouteGenie, sits down with Jake Craig and John Maselli from BraunAbility's retail commercial team — the company Ralph Braun started after fabricating his own wheelchair lift on a postal Jeep in a Winamac, Indiana garage. They answer the question every new provider asks first: can I use my own vehicle for NEMT? From there, what ADA compliance and crash testing actually require, how to match vehicle type to the service you're running, what to inspect before buying used, why the list of minivan platforms keeps shrinking, and where electric and autonomous really stand — including the question nobody in the AV conversation is answering. When the van pulls up with no driver, who secures the wheelchair? Straight answers on buying, converting, and compliance. No sales pitch. (00:00) Cold open(01:25) Welcome and introductions(03:25) The Ralph Braun origin story(06:08) Where demand for accessible transport is heading(07:31) Why minivans became the NEMT workhorse(08:31) What a real conversion involves(10:08) Paratransit vs. retail commercial: BraunAbility's two sides(11:06) What to ask before buying your first NEMT vehicle(13:28) "Can I use my own vehicle for NEMT?"(13:54) ADA, crash testing, and the 350,000-mile durability test(17:33) Buying a used accessible vehicle secondhand(18:33) Minivan supply and the shrinking platform list(21:05) Electric: Sienna hybrid, Kia PV5, and the E-Transit lesson(22:57) Autonomous vehicles and the securement problem(24:25) May Mobility, neighborhood EVs, and Q'STRAINT(27:58) What's next: long-wheelbase Sienna and an NEMT-equipped minivan(30:20) Why NEMT policy needs to catch up with innovation(32:23) Wrap-up Guests: Jake Craig, Senior National Account Manager, Retail Commercial Vehicles at BraunAbility. John Maselli, National Account Manager, Retail Commercial Vehicles at BraunAbility. BraunAbility manufactures wheelchair accessible vehicles and lifts, sold exclusively through its dealer network. Inside the Lamp is your go-to podcast for everything NEMT and RouteGenie software, hosted by Cameron Craig, CEO of RouteGenie. Want to be a guest? Fill out the form: https://forms.gle/dATuK6brMqghWBpw7RouteGenie: https://routegenie.com/

  5. Aug 26

    20 Years in NEMT ft. Chas McCarthy, Orqa Group | Inside the Lamp NEMT Podcast

    Is rideshare a threat to NEMT, or the most useful tool in the toolbox? Host Jonathon Anthon talks with Chas McCarthy, General Manager at Orqa Group, who has spent nearly two decades across the NEMT ecosystem in operations, provider relations, and broker management. Chas covers what makes the broker and provider relationship work, why rideshare has matured into an asset rather than a disruptor, and how aligning stakeholders around one definition of success leads to better outcomes for patients, providers, brokers, and payers. He also shares how endurance sports and the volunteer fire service shaped his approach to leadership and discipline. Practical listening for anyone who runs or dispatches for an NEMT company. Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:22 Meet Chas McCarthy 0:44 Two decades across the NEMT ecosystem 2:26 What triathlons and the fire service taught him about leadership 4:02 What a strong broker and provider relationship looks like 6:47 Rideshare in NEMT: no longer the threat everyone feared 7:40 Finding rideshare's place in the toolbox 10:24 A hospital discharge story: why speed matters 11:54 How rideshare frees capacity for rural and long-distance trips 12:40 Rates, cost savings, and reinvesting in providers 13:19 Getting every stakeholder on the same page 15:54 Acting as one team, not separate organizations 16:44 GPS mandates and the New York Department of Health 18:41 How to reach Orqa Group and wrap-up RouteGenie: https://routegenie.com The Genie Journal newsletter: https://go.routegenie.com/newsletter

  6. Aug 5

    Genie Journal Recap: Latest 2026 News — The Month About NEMT Proof

    July was a month about proof, and the providers who can document clean trips are pulling ahead. This month's Genie Journal Recap covers the regulatory, financial, and operational shifts shaping medical transportation, plus what each one means for providers. In this episode: Ohio SB 315 makes GPS-confirmed pickup, transport, and drop-off a condition of payment for NEMT, phasing in over 18 monthsIowa stands up a Medicaid Fraud Elimination Task Force with EVV in focus and a strategy due in 120 daysFederal officials defer more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota while documentation is verified (deferrals, not cuts)California raises its managed care tax to backfill Medi-Cal money, and Oregon weighs a broad spending adjustment while NEMT stays a mandatory benefitIllinois and Texas Blue Cross Medicaid plans move from Modivcare to MTM Health on October 1, plus leadership shuffles at both brokersThe FTA opens roughly $12 million in coordination funding at up to an 80% federal share, due September 9A DC robotaxi bill never mentions wheelchairs, and why that gap is a moat for accessible providersDeep Read: a Michigan State University study finds unreliable transportation a stronger predictor of missed care than illness itselfRouteGenie product news: passenger language support across 15 languages, and smarter per-position multi-load pricingChapters0:00 Intro0:22 July's theme: proof0:29 Ohio SB 315 and GPS-confirmed payment0:59 Iowa's Medicaid Fraud Elimination Task Force1:28 $1B+ in Medicaid deferrals (California, Minnesota)1:55 California's managed care tax and HR One2:19 Oregon's Medicaid gap2:49 Blue Cross drops Modivcare for MTM (IL and TX)3:23 MTM and Modivcare leadership moves3:49 FTA opens $12M in coordination funding4:31 The DC robotaxi bill and the accessibility gap5:06 Deep Read: transportation insecurity study5:50 Blog: 10 NEMT conferences worth attending in 20266:15 RouteGenie at NEMTAC Transform, Booth 2286:32 Product news: 15-language passenger support6:54 Product news: smarter multi-load pricing7:20 Wrap-up Full breakdown and source links: The RouteGenie Journal → https://go.routegenie.com/newsletterBlog mentioned: https://routegenie.com/blog/nemt-conferencesSee us in person: RouteGenie at Booth 228, NEMTAC Transform, August 16–19, JW Marriott Orlando Grande Lakes Sources this month: Ohio and Iowa governors' offices, Axios, the Associated Press, Mercury News, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Newswire, Business Wire, Tech Times, Electrek, and a Michigan State University study in the journal Sustainability.

  7. Jun 30

    Genie Journal Recap — Summer 2026: Fuel Down, Standards Up

    Gas prices have fallen for five straight weeks, and if you run a fleet, you'll feel it. In this month's Genie Journal Recap, we cover what moved in medical transportation in June — from the pump to the statehouse. This episode covers: Fuel prices — The national average hit $3.91/gallon on June 25, the fifth consecutive weekly decline. What's driving it and what it means for fleet operations.Colorado — Governor Polis signed HB 26-1328, one of the most comprehensive NEMT modernization bills of 2026. Plus: the MediDrive broker transition takes effect July 1, and providers need to be ready.Maryland — CMS approved a new state plan amendment requiring Medicaid NEMT to cover lodging and meals for qualifying members.Minnesota — A five-month revalidation sweep of 5,583 high-risk Medicaid providers produced 3,411 disenrollment notices. NEMT providers were caught in the wave.Ohio — SB 315 names NEMT providers directly in new GPS and electronic verification requirements, moving EVV from best practice to law.Federal policy — KFF breaks down what the 2025 reconciliation law means for NEMT reimbursement starting in 2029, and CMS consolidates its technology functions under a new office.The Genie Journal Recap is RouteGenie's monthly update on the regulatory, financial, and operational shifts shaping medical transportation. New episodes every month. Follow the show so you don't miss the next one.

  8. Jun 3

    How to Diversify NEMT with Student Transportation: Joe Siddle | Inside the Lamp Podcast

    What if the fastest path to doubling your NEMT revenue had nothing to do with Medicaid? In this episode of Inside the Lamp, NEMT consultant and sales expert Joe Siddle joins RouteGenie Co-Founder and Growth Partner Jonathon Anthon to share the exact strategy he's used to help NEMT providers break into school transportation contracts and unlock a whole new revenue stream. Joe walks through his proven approach to winning school contracts, including a real-world example of 40 daily trips translating to $200K a month in additional billing. He covers how to research your market, size up the competition, close the deal, and why saying "yes" to opportunities outside the typical NEMT lane builds the kind of reputation that compounds over time. Jonathon also shares the RouteGenie features that make scaling into student and non-NEMT transportation actually manageable, from contract templates to passenger app notifications. What you'll hear:0:47 Joe Siddle's background2:16 The step-by-step process of an NEMT consultant4:33 Post-sale marketing and contract execution8:59 RouteGenie features that make growing your business easier12:08 RouteGenie templates for non-NEMT transportation12:53 RouteGenie passenger app and notifications13:54 How to reach Joe Siddle Want to be a guest on Inside the Lamp? Fill out the invite form: https://forms.gle/dATuK6brMqghWBpw7 Want to see how RouteGenie helps NEMT providers diversify and scale?Book a demo: https://routegenie.com/get-a-demo/Call: 1 (877) 599-6560 Connect with RouteGenie:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/routegenie/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/routegenie/X: https://twitter.com/theroutegenieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/routegenie/ Disclaimer: The information provided in this episode does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal, financial, medical, or business advice. All content is for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the most up-to-date information.

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Listen to our podcast if you want to learn more about the healthcare market and about technology that disrupts the industry.

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