Medicaid rides: who gets non-emergency transportation and how it affects care for different racial and ethnic groups
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to the Medicaid Transportation Benefit and Implications for Patient Outcomes
This project looks at how people of different races and ethnicities use Medicaid’s non-emergency medical transportation benefit and how access to rides relates to their health care and outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11032737 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or someone you know is on Medicaid, this project examines whether you can get non-emergency rides to health care and whether access differs by race and ethnicity. The team will analyze large Medicaid claims and program data from multiple states to see who uses the NEMT benefit and how state program rules relate to use. They will link transportation use to measures like clinic visit rates and health outcomes to see whether rides help people get needed care. Results will be used to recommend policy changes to make transportation more reliable and equitable.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people enrolled in Medicaid who need or use non-emergency medical transportation, particularly those from racial or ethnic minority groups.
Not a fit: People who are not enrolled in Medicaid or whose health barriers are unrelated to transportation (for example, conditions limiting treatment options) are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help states change Medicaid transportation rules so more people—especially racial and ethnic minorities—can get to care, reducing missed appointments and improving health.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows better transportation can increase health care use and improve outcomes, but few studies have linked Medicaid NEMT use to racial and ethnic disparities across states, so this work builds on known effects while filling an important gap.
Where this research is happening
Ithaca, United States
- Cornell University — Ithaca, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Michener, Jamila D — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Michener, Jamila D
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.