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NEMT vs ambulette — what's the difference?

These terms get used interchangeably, but they're not the same thing. NEMT is the broad service category. An ambulette is one specific type of vehicle used within NEMT. Here's the distinction.

NEMT: the category

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation describes the entire category of scheduled, non-emergency, ground-based medical transport. It includes everything from a sedan picking up a senior for a doctor visit to a wheelchair-accessible van transporting a dialysis patient to a stretcher transport moving a bedridden patient.

Ambulette: one type of vehicle within NEMT

An ambulette is a wheelchair-accessible van staffed by a trained driver-attendant. It has a hydraulic lift or ramp, four-point wheelchair securement, and seating for ambulatory passengers and companions. Ambulettes are used for NEMT trips where the passenger needs accessibility (wheelchair) and door-through-door assistance but does not need medical monitoring.

So when do you need which?

Ambulatory passenger, no mobility device: Standard NEMT sedan or wagon.
Wheelchair user or significant mobility limitation: Ambulette.
Cannot sit up, must lie flat: Stretcher transport (a different vehicle).
Medical emergency or needs monitoring en route: Ambulance, not NEMT.

Pricing differences

Ambulette trips typically cost more than ambulatory NEMT trips, because the vehicle is more specialized and loading/securement takes more time. Medicaid pays a higher rate for ambulette trips; private-pay rates are also higher — see our pricing.

FAQ

Related questions

What is non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT)?

Non-emergency medical transportation, or NEMT, is scheduled ground transportation for patients who need help getting to medical appointments but do not require ambulance-level care. NEMT vehicles include sedans for ambulatory passengers and wheelchair-accessible vans (ambulettes) for passengers with mobility devices. Drivers are trained in passenger assistance but are not paramedics.

What is the difference between an ambulette and an ambulance?

An ambulance is staffed by EMTs or paramedics and is used for medical emergencies or transports requiring active medical monitoring. An ambulette is a wheelchair-accessible van staffed by a trained driver-attendant who helps the passenger safely board, secure, and exit the vehicle. Ambulettes are used for scheduled medical appointments where the passenger is stable but needs accessibility or assistance.

What is the difference between NEMT and an ambulette?

NEMT is the broader category that includes both ambulatory transportation (standard sedans or wagons) and wheelchair-accessible ambulettes. An ambulette is a specific type of NEMT vehicle equipped with a hydraulic lift or ramp and four-point securement for wheelchairs.

What kinds of wheelchairs can you accommodate?

We transport patients who use standard manual wheelchairs and can transfer to a vehicle seat — the wheelchair is folded and stored in the trunk. Patients who use power wheelchairs or cannot transfer out of their wheelchair should call us; we can help coordinate through Medicaid ambulette services or a licensed wheelchair-accessible van provider.

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