MassHealth pays for rides to medical appointments for members who have no other way to get there. The benefit is called non-emergency medical transportation, and the key to unlocking it is the PT-1, short for Prescription for Transportation. Once a PT-1 is approved, a regional transportation broker schedules door-to-door rides at no cost to you, for as long as the authorization lasts. This guide explains who qualifies, how the PT-1 request works in 2026, how to schedule rides with MART or GATRA, and what to do when a ride goes wrong.
What MassHealth transportation covers and who qualifies
Through the state’s Human Services Transportation (HST) office, MassHealth provides free rides to MassHealth-covered services. That includes medical, dental, mental health, and substance use disorder appointments, as well as transportation to and from day habilitation programs. It does not cover trips to the pharmacy alone, social visits, or errands, and drivers are not allowed to make unscheduled stops along the way.
Two requirements control eligibility:
- Your MassHealth coverage type must include transportation. MassHealth Standard, CommonHealth, and CarePlus all include the benefit. MassHealth Family Assistance and the Health Safety Net generally do not. If you are not sure which plan you have, call MassHealth Customer Service at (800) 841-2900, or read our guide to MassHealth coverage types.
- You must need the ride. The program exists for members who cannot get to appointments on their own, whether because of a medical condition, a disability, or no access to a car or usable public transit. Your health care provider certifies this need on the PT-1 request.
PT-1 transportation is strictly non-emergency. If you have a medical emergency, call 911. Ambulance transport is a separate MassHealth benefit with its own rules, and you never need a PT-1 for an emergency.
How to get approved: the PT-1 request
Here is the most important thing to understand about the modern PT-1: you cannot fill it out yourself, and there is no paper form. Your MassHealth health care provider submits the request electronically through the MassHealth Customer Web Portal, a website for providers. Any of your MassHealth providers can submit a PT-1 for travel to any other MassHealth provider you need to see. In practice, that means your first step is a conversation with your doctor’s office, clinic, or counselor: tell them you need transportation and ask them to submit a PT-1.
The approval process usually takes up to three business days, and MassHealth notifies you of the decision by mail. If you need a ride before the paperwork clears, your medical provider can call the MassHealth Customer Service Center at (800) 841-2900 and request verbal approval for urgent transportation.
An approved PT-1 authorizes trips between your home and the specific provider listed on the request, at the visit frequency your provider stated, through an expiration date. Approvals commonly run for the length of the prescribed treatment, often up to a year. The authorization also sets your level of service: a standard shared vehicle, a wheelchair van, or transport with an escort. If your needs change, the fix always runs through your provider, who must submit a new or updated PT-1 for:
- a new treating provider or facility
- more frequent visits or a longer course of treatment
- adding an escort to ride with you
- adding a wheelchair van prescription
- an alternate pickup address
Scheduling rides with your broker: MART or GATRA
MassHealth does not send the vehicles itself. Once your PT-1 is approved, you are assigned to one of two regional brokers, and you will receive a welcome letter with scheduling instructions. Under the current statewide brokerage structure, coverage splits this way:
- MART (Montachusett Regional Transit Authority) covers Western, Central, and Northeastern Massachusetts plus Metro Boston, including Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk counties. Members schedule at (866) 834-9991, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. MART also offers online booking through its member portal (your MassHealth ID is the username; the password is your birth month and day, such as 0101 for January 1), the QRyde Rider mobile app, and a 24/7 automated phone system that can book rides, review trips and PT-1 status, and cancel trips without waiting for an agent.
- GATRA (Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority) covers Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. The MassHealth and PT-1 trip line is (800) 431-1713 (TTY 711).
Schedule rides at least three days in advance whenever possible. A few ground rules will save you frustration:
- Service is curb to curb, not door to door, unless the PT-1 authorizes a higher level of assistance. If you need help getting from your home into the vehicle, ask your provider to prescribe an escort on the PT-1.
- Rides are shared. Other MassHealth members may be picked up or dropped off along your route.
- Be ready 15 minutes before your scheduled pickup. Drivers must wait 10 minutes past the pickup time before leaving without you.
- You cannot choose your own transportation company. The broker assigns each trip to a contracted vendor on a lowest-cost, most-appropriate basis.
- If you do not know when your appointment will end, you can schedule a “will call” return, but expect up to a 60-minute wait after you call for pickup.
- Cancel trips as early as you can. With MART’s automated system, a next-day trip must be canceled by 3:30 p.m.; same-day cancellations require calling the broker or the vendor directly.
The mileage reimbursement option
Not every approved member wants a van. If a family member, friend, or neighbor can drive you, the HST program can arrange mileage reimbursement instead of a broker-scheduled ride in some circumstances. The driver is paid a per-mile rate for trips to and from your covered appointments, which is often faster and more comfortable than shared van service, and cheaper for the state.
The details, including the current rate, enrollment paperwork for the driver, and trip log requirements, are handled by your broker, and the setup differs between MART and GATRA. If this option appeals to you, ask your broker directly when you receive your welcome letter, or contact the HST office at (617) 847-3427 or hstinfo@mass.gov. You still need an approved PT-1 first.
Renewals and expirations
Every PT-1 has an expiration date, and rides stop when it passes. Nobody automatically renews it for you. Watch your authorization and ask your provider to submit a new PT-1 two to three weeks before the current one expires so approval and broker assignment are done before your next appointment. MART members can hear the expiration dates of their active PT-1s any time through the automated phone system, and both PT-1 status and pending requests can be checked through MassHealth Customer Service at (800) 841-2900. Keep in mind that your MassHealth eligibility itself must also stay active; if your coverage lapses at annual renewal, your transportation stops with it.
When rides go wrong: no-shows, complaints, and appeals
Late vans and no-show drivers are the most common complaints in this program, and there is a real process for them. If a vendor never arrives, call your broker immediately: the broker, not the driver, is responsible for getting you to the appointment and can dispatch another vendor.
To file a complaint about a trip, call MART at (866) 834-9991 or GATRA at (800) 431-1713, or use the complaint button next to the completed trip in MART’s web portal. The broker should acknowledge your complaint within 24 hours, and while it is being investigated you may request not to be assigned to the vendor you complained about. If the broker does not resolve the problem, escalate to the HST office at (617) 847-3427 or hstinfo@mass.gov.
A denied PT-1 is a MassHealth decision, and like other MassHealth decisions it can be appealed. The denial letter arrives by mail and explains how to request a fair hearing from the MassHealth Board of Hearings and the deadline for doing so. Before appealing, it is often faster to call your provider’s office: many denials happen because the request was incomplete or did not explain why you cannot use other transportation, and a corrected resubmission through the Customer Web Portal can fix the problem in days.
One honest caveat: MassHealth has reorganized its transportation brokerage several times, most recently consolidating statewide coverage under MART and GATRA, and phone systems and booking tools continue to change. The broker assignments and numbers above are current as of 2026, but your welcome letter controls. If anything conflicts, follow the letter or call MassHealth Customer Service.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PT-1 form?
The PT-1, or Prescription for Transportation, is the request that authorizes free MassHealth rides to medical appointments. It is not a form you fill out. Your MassHealth health care provider submits it electronically through the MassHealth Customer Web Portal, certifying that you need transportation to a covered service. Once approved, a regional broker (MART or GATRA) schedules your rides until the authorization expires.
How do I schedule a MassHealth ride?
After your PT-1 is approved, you get a welcome letter from your broker. In Western, Central, and Northeastern Massachusetts and Metro Boston, call MART at (866) 834-9991, book online through the MART member portal, or use the QRyde Rider app. In Southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod, call GATRA at (800) 431-1713. Schedule at least three days ahead when possible.
Can MassHealth pay for gas?
Not for gas directly, but the program offers mileage reimbursement: if a friend or family member drives you to covered appointments, the driver can be paid a per-mile rate through your broker. You still need an approved PT-1, and the driver must complete the broker’s enrollment paperwork and trip logs. Ask MART or GATRA about setting it up.
How long does PT-1 approval take?
Up to three business days in most cases, with the decision mailed to you. If you have an appointment sooner, your medical provider can call MassHealth Customer Service at (800) 841-2900 to request verbal approval for urgent transportation. You can check the status of a pending PT-1 through the same number.
Who qualifies for MassHealth transportation?
Members whose coverage type includes the transportation benefit, which means MassHealth Standard, CommonHealth, and CarePlus, and who need help getting to covered appointments because of a medical condition, disability, or lack of other transportation. Your provider certifies the need on the PT-1. Family Assistance generally does not include the benefit. Call (800) 841-2900 to confirm your eligibility.