Transportation
Coverage of Ambulance Services
This brief guide can help you to answer any questions you may have about ambulance services and other medical transportation available in the community.
Kaiser Permanente covers nonemergency ambulance services for transportation if, in the judgment of a Plan physician, your condition requires the use of medical services that only a licensed ambulance can provide and the use of other means of transportation would endanger your health.
We cover ambulance transportation services for an emergency medical condition as defined under “Emergency medical transportation”.
We do not cover transportation by car, taxi, bus, gurney van and wheelchair van, minivan or any other type of transportation (other than a licensed ambulance), even if it is the only way to travel to the Plan provider.
Kaiser Permanente prepaid Medi-Cal members have benefits that provide coverage for gurney van and wheelchair van services under certain circumstances, depending on your medical and physical condition. Medi-Cal members should call Member Service Call Center for more information about this coverage
Emergency Medical Transportation
Emergency medical conditions may require transportation by a licensed ambulance. If you think you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. To better coordinate your emergency care, we recommend that you go to a Kaiser Permanente hospital if it is reasonable to do so, given your condition or symptoms. Please refer to Your Guidebook to Kaiser Permanente Services for the location of Kaiser Permanente hospitals that provide emergency care.
An emergency medical condition is a medical or psychiatric condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following: serious jeopardy to your health, serious impairment in your bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
Note: This information is subject to change as contracts renew. Please refer to your Evidence of Coverage for the latest coverage information, including copayments, and for information about filing a claim to obtain reimbursement of emergency ambulance services.
This information is not a contract and may not answer all your questions. For up-to-date information about your emergency and ambulance coverage (including extensions), consult your Evidence of Coverage.
Community Transportation Services
Although Kaiser Permanente does not cover these community transportation services, our staff can help you select and arrange for them; however, you will be responsible for any fees for the transportation services. There are a couple different community transportation services available:
- Taxi services: Transportation by taxi may (or may not) be appropriate. Note: If you are considering this option, please discuss at your pre-operative visit before surgery, or with the hospital discharge planner.
- Buses
- Wheelchair Vans
- Gurney Vans