Transportation to dialysis in California
Start with the kind of ride you need, then follow the pathway for your Medi-Cal coverage. This page focuses on getting to covered medical care such as dialysis—not emergency transportation.
Information checked against California Department of Health Care Services sources on September 21, 2026.
Which transportation pathway fits?
Answer the two questions below. This does not determine eligibility; it points you toward the right place to ask for a ride.
1. What kind of ride do you need?
2. How do you receive Medi-Cal?
Choose both options above
Your next step will appear here.
What the two Medi-Cal ride types mean
Non-Medical Transportation
For eligible Medi-Cal members who can travel in an ordinary public or private vehicle but do not have another way to get to a covered service.
No prescription is required for NMT. Members generally attest that they have an unmet transportation need and have reasonably exhausted other available options.
DHCS transportation information →Non-Emergency Medical Transportation
For Medi-Cal members whose medical or physical condition means they cannot use ordinary public or private transportation and need a medical transportation vehicle.
A prescription from a licensed provider is required for NEMT.
Read the DHCS FAQ →Recurring dialysis rides
You can ask about arranging multiple ongoing appointments
DHCS advises members to request transportation as soon as they know about an appointment and says it is helpful to request service at least five business days in advance when possible. For ongoing appointments, members can ask for transportation covering multiple appointments rather than starting over for every treatment.
When you call, have your dialysis facility name, address, treatment days, chair time, expected pickup window, and any mobility needs ready.
Find your plan or Medi-Cal contact
Medi-Cal Managed Care Health Plan Directory
Use the official DHCS county directory to find the Medi-Cal plans available where you live and their member-services contact information.
Find my health plan →DHCS transportation support
Fee-for-Service members can use DHCS transportation resources, ask their medical provider about approved transportation providers, or contact their county Medi-Cal office for help.
Medi-Cal help →Major Medi-Cal plan member services
DHCS currently lists Health Net Community Solutions, Kaiser Permanente, and L.A. Care Health Plan among the Medi-Cal plan options in Los Angeles County. Use your plan’s member-services number to ask how transportation is arranged.
Los Angeles plan directory →Medi-Medi / dual-eligible plans
If you have both Medicare and Medi-Cal, transportation may also be coordinated through an integrated Medi-Medi or Medicare Advantage plan. Benefits and processes vary by plan.
See 2026 Medi-Medi plans →If today’s ride already fell through
This directory is for arranging transportation pathways. If the problem is happening today, start with What Happens If My Ride to Dialysis Falls Through? for the immediate call-the-clinic-first decision path, then come back here to build a more reliable ongoing ride plan.
Important details before you call
For managed care, DHCS directs members to their health plan’s Member Services to request NMT or NEMT. For NEMT, a licensed provider must prescribe the service.
For Fee-for-Service Medi-Cal, the process is different. Your medical provider and DHCS may need to help arrange or authorize transportation.
Primary sources: California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) transportation services, transportation FAQs, Medi-Cal managed care directory, and 2026 Medi-Medi plan directory. Renal Care Planner is not affiliated with DHCS or Medi-Cal. This page summarizes public information and is not an eligibility determination. Rules and phone numbers can change, so confirm with your health plan or DHCS.