21 NEMT Trends & Statistics to Know in 2024

21 NEMT
Trends &
Statistics to
Know in
2024
21 NEMT Trends & Statistics to Know in 2024

21 NEMT Trends & Statistics to Know in 2024 2
Introduction
In 2024, amidst the backdrop of evolving healthcare systems and
societal shifts, understanding the trends and statistics shaping
NEMT services is paramount for healthcare providers,
policymakers, and stakeholders alike.
From the rise of on-demand transportation solutions to the
integration of artificial intelligence and data analytics, the NEMT
sector is undergoing a paradigm shift aimed at enhancing
efficiency, accessibility, and quality of care delivery. Moreover,
with an aging population and growing prevalence of chronic
diseases, the demand for reliable and efficient NEMT services
continues to escalate.
Here, we’ve compiled 21 important NEMT statistics to give you an
idea of the sector’s direction. Use these data points to guide your
understanding of NEMT trends in 2024 and beyond:

Why People Need NEMT
NEMT services give patients who are unable to drive themselves or use public transportation
a means to attend medical appointments. One interesting fact unbeknownst to many is that
the availability of NEMT has a significant impact on the health and finances of millions of
Americans.
21% of U.S. adults without access to a vehicle or public transit went without needed
medical care last year. Individuals who lacked access to a vehicle but reported
neighborhood access to public transportation services were less likely to skip needed
care (9%).
Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2023
21%
5% of all U.S. adults reported forgoing healthcare due to transportation barriers.
5%
6 million Americans annually delay or miss non-emergency medical appointments due to
transportation barriers, potentially worsening their health and causing financial setbacks for the
healthcare system.
Source: Hughes-Cromwich & Wallas research, 2006
This translates to USD 14.4 billion in lost revenue for healthcare providers and
USD 2.3 billion in additional costs for patients.
Source: RouteGenie, 2023

NEMT Market
2024 will see the continued growth of NEMT, thanks to
the factors discussed below. However, this growth will
be limited due to systemic healthcare and
transportation issues that still need to be resolved.
The global NEMT market is projected to witness
significant growth and is estimated to reach USD
15.58 billion by 2028, with a compound annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 9.0% during the forecast
period from 2022 to 2028.
Source: GlobeNewswire, 2023
The market growth is attributed to the growing need
for NEMT services, the rising incidence of chronic
diseases, and the increasing geriatric population.
However, certain factors, such as lack of efficient
oversight systems, rise in fraud by NEMT companies,
and lack of transportation services in rural areas, hinder
the market growth.
Source: GlobeNewswire, 2023

Cost Savings
from
NEMT
Healthcare providers and policymakers
should consider increasing investments
in NEMT because of the proven cost
benefits associated with these services.
It is shown that healthcare providers,
patients, and the general population
benefit whenever NEMT services are
made available at scale.

Cost Savings from
NEMT
The use of NEMT results in an average monthly savings of USD 1,300 per
person. beneficiaries who used NEMT services for scheduled medical
appointments based on prescribed treatment regimens—such as the clinically
recommended number of dialysis sessions or wound treatments—enjoyed better
health and incurred significantly lower long-term costs than those who didn’t
maintain regular appointments.
Source: Medical Transportation Access Coalition (MTAC), 2018
Modern NEMT has the potential to yield greater cost savings than traditional
NEMT while also improving patient experience. Estimated savings on ride costs
varied from 30% to 70%, modern NEMT was estimated to save USD 268 per
expected user (95% CI = USD 248, USD 288 per member per year) and
USD 537 million annually (95% CI = USD 496 million, USD 577 million)
when scaled nationally.
Source: Rochlin DH, Lee CM, Scheuter C, Milstein A, Kaplan RM, 2019
30% to 70%

Cost Savings from
NEMT
NEMT has been deemed cost-effective and cost-saving for preventive care (e.g.,
dental care, screenings for breast and colorectal cancers) and the treatment of
chronic conditions (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes,
end-stage renal disease, heart disease, hypertension, mental health).
Source: Hughes-Cromwich & Wallace, 2006; Kim, Norton, & Stearns, 2009
NEMT benefits are cost-effective or cost-saving for all 12 medical conditions
analyzed, such as prenatal care, asthma, heart disease, and diabetes.
Source: Transportation Research Board of The National Academies, Cost
Benefit Analysis of Providing Non-Emergency Medical Transportation, 2005
A study suggests that NEMT more than pays for itself as part of a care
management strategy for people with chronic diseases, resulting in a total positive
return on investment of over USD 40 million per month (USD 480
million annually) per 30,000 Medicaid beneficiaries.
Source: Medical Transportation Access Coalition, 2018

Who Benefits
Most from
NEMT
While NEMT benefits everyone in the
American healthcare system, the elderly,
minorities, individuals with low-income
backgrounds, and people with mental health
issues stand to gain the most from it. This is
mostly because people from these groups
lack access to transportation options or are
unable to meet their medical appointments
by themselves.

Who Benefits Most from
NEMT
Transportation concerns among older adults are rising as this
population segment is projected to grow from over 40 million in
2010 to over 88 million by the year 2050.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012
The growth of the aging population will increase transportation
service demands as many older adults do not have alternative
transportation support.
Choi, Adams, & Kahana, 2012
Over 20% of US adults, mainly low-income individuals,
experience transportation barriers that hinder care access,
leading to at least one missed medical appointment in the
past year, revealed by an Urban Institute and Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation study.
20%

Who Benefits Most from
NEMT
Black adults (8%), adults with low family incomes (14%), and
adults with public health insurance (12%) were all more likely to
forgo needed care due to difficulty finding transportation.
Adults with a disability (17%) were more than three times as
likely to report skipping care due to transportation concerns.
NEMT is particularly important for people with mental illness
since behavioral health services are the most frequently cited
reason for using NEMT.
Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2024

Current
NEMT
Demand
While there is some variation between states,
NEMT services are generally popular
wherever they are made available. However,
the popularity of NEMT is also highly
dependent on external factors, as shown by
the changes in demand before and after the
COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE).

Current
NEMT Demand
In fiscal year (FY) 2018, there were over 60 million NEMT ride-
days (i.e., days in which a beneficiary had at least one NEMT ride).
State and federal spending on NEMT was USD 2.6 billion
(excluding managed care payments to providers).
Source: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission,
2021
Less than 5% of beneficiaries used NEMT in FY
2018. For beneficiaries who do use NEMT, it plays a
vital role in facilitating access to care. Focus group
participants said it is essential to maintaining their
health, and in some cases, has been lifesaving.
Source: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access
Commission, 2021
5%

Current
NEMT Demand
CMS found that approximately 3 million to 4 million Medicaid
beneficiaries used NEMT services annually between 2018 and 2021,
representing 4−5% of Medicaid beneficiaries. Alaska, Minnesota,
Arizona, Maine, and Wisconsin had the highest percentage of Medicaid
beneficiaries who used NEMT, with up to nearly 11% in Alaska in 2021.
Source: Health Management Associates, 2023
During the COVID-19 PHE, rates of NEMT dropped from 3.9 million
beneficiaries, or 5% of all Medicaid members in 2019, to 3.5
million (4%) in 2020 and 3.3 million (4%) in 2021. In 2019−2020, the
total number of annual NEMT ride days dropped by 37%, from 81.3
million to 53.1 million, but increased by more than 4% (to 55.5
million) in 2021. On average, the monthly number of NEMT ride days in
2021 remained about 30% below pre-PHE levels, and the number of
beneficiaries using NEMT remained 23% below pre-PHE levels.
Source: Health Management Associates, 2023

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21 NEMT Trends & Statistics to Know in 2024

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