S
Operations

Subscription Trip

Definition
A recurring trip request for a member who attends the same medical service on a regular schedule (e.g., Dialysis on MWF at 10 AM, or Adult Day Care M-F). Also called a "Standing Order."

Overview

Why it Matters

These are the "bread and butter" of NEMT. They provide predictable, guaranteed revenue volume that allows providers to build stable routes.

How it Works

Instead of booking 12 individual trips for the month, the Broker creates one "Subscription" that automatically generates trips for the next 3–6 months.

Code Comparison

Comparison: Subscription vs. Demand Trip

Subscription: Predictable, recurring (Dialysis).

Demand: One-off, unpredictable (Urgent Care, Specialist).

Common Questions

  • The "Hospital" Gap: A dialysis patient goes to the hospital for a week. The subscription keeps generating trips, and the driver keeps showing up to an empty house (No-Shows) because no one paused the subscription.
  • Expiration: The subscription authorization ends on Dec 31st. On Jan 2nd, the driver transports the patient, but the claim denies because the new year's subscription wasn't entered.
  • Audit all subscriptions monthly to remove inactive members.
  • Assign the same driver to subscription trips to build rapport and efficiency.

Sources

Transit Cooperative Research Program - Scheduling Practices