Stop Paying for Medicaid NEMT Rides That Never Happen
Ghost trips — rides dispatched for cancelled, rescheduled, or non-existent appointments — cost Medicaid programs billions annually. Direct Appointment eliminates them with real-time electronic attendance verification.
What Is a Medicaid NEMT Ghost Trip?
A ghost trip occurs when a transportation broker dispatches a vehicle for a Medicaid patient appointment that was cancelled, rescheduled, or never confirmed — and the ride is still billed to the Medicaid program. Without real-time verification, brokers have no way to know an appointment changed until after the driver has already arrived.
How Direct Appointment Prevents Ghost Trips
Appointment Data Pulled from EHR Daily
Direct Appointment connects to Epic and Cerner via secure API to pull the day's scheduled Medicaid appointments — before any rides are dispatched.
Cancellations & Reschedules Flagged Instantly
When a patient cancels or reschedules, the change is captured in the EHR and immediately reflected in the verified data sent to your broker — preventing dispatch.
Attendance Confirmed Electronically
After the appointment, attendance is confirmed electronically and logged in a HIPAA-compliant digital audit trail — giving you proof of service for every verified trip.
Why Brokers Choose Direct Appointment for Ghost Trip Prevention
Real-Time Cancellation Alerts
Cancellations and reschedules are captured the moment they happen in the EHR — not hours later by phone.
Electronic Attendance Verification
Patient attendance is confirmed digitally, creating an unambiguous record for every trip billed to Medicaid.
Dispute-Proof Audit Trail
Every verification is logged with a 100% digital, HIPAA-compliant record — eliminating billing disputes between brokers and providers.
Reduce No-Show Costs for Providers
Healthcare providers see fewer wasted appointment slots and improved scheduling efficiency when transportation is reliably coordinated.
State Medicaid Compliance
Our digital audit trail meets state Medicaid documentation requirements — protecting brokers from audit findings and recoupment.
Zero Cost to Implement
Direct Appointment is free for transportation brokers and NEMT providers. Ghost trip savings go directly to your bottom line.
Ghost Trip Prevention — Frequently Asked Questions
How common are ghost trips in Medicaid NEMT?
Industry estimates place ghost trips at 10–15% of all Medicaid NEMT rides. With millions of trips dispatched annually, this represents a significant and largely preventable source of Medicaid waste.
Can Direct Appointment prevent ghost trips for same-day cancellations?
Yes. Because we pull data directly from the EHR via API, cancellations are reflected in near real-time — giving brokers the most current appointment status before dispatch.
Does Direct Appointment work with all transportation brokers?
We deliver verified data via secure API or broker portal, making integration straightforward for most major NEMT broker platforms. Contact us to discuss your specific broker system.
Ready to Eliminate Ghost Trips From Your NEMT Program?
Direct Appointment gives transportation brokers real-time, verified appointment data — at zero cost. Stop paying for rides that never happen.