For many Pennsylvanians who depend on Medicaid, getting to medical appointments is one of the biggest practical hurdles to staying healthy. If you can’t drive, don’t have a car, or can’t afford regular rides, missing appointments becomes a real risk, and that’s exactly the problem the Medical Assistance Transportation Program was created to solve. Yet a lot of people who qualify for free or low-cost rides through this program have never heard of it.
This guide explains what MATP is, who it’s for, how to qualify in Pennsylvania, and how to actually use it, along with what to do when the program’s limits don’t quite fit your needs.
(MATP, the Medical Assistance Transportation Program, is a Pennsylvania program that provides free or low-cost transportation to medical appointments for people enrolled in Medicaid (Medical Assistance). To qualify, you generally need to be a Pennsylvania resident who is eligible for Medicaid, have no other reasonable way to get to your appointment, and be traveling to a Medicaid-covered medical service. The program is administered county by county, so you apply and schedule rides through your local county MATP office.)
What is MATP?
MATP stands for the Medical Assistance Transportation Program. It’s a transportation benefit funded through Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program, designed to make sure that people enrolled in Medical Assistance can actually get to and from their medical appointments. The core idea is simple: health coverage doesn’t do much good if a person can’t physically reach their doctor, so the program removes transportation as a barrier to care.
MATP covers rides to a wide range of Medicaid-covered medical services. That includes doctor visits, dialysis, therapy, mental health appointments, dental visits, trips to the pharmacy in connection with medical care, and other covered treatments. The program is meant for non-emergency transportation, meaning planned trips to appointments, not emergencies, which is what 911 and ambulance services are for.
Because it’s a county-administered program, the way MATP looks in practice depends on where you live. Each Pennsylvania county designates its own provider to deliver the service, so the vehicles, scheduling process, and exact options vary from one county to the next.
How MATP works in different Pennsylvania counties
Pennsylvania runs MATP through county-level providers, which means the organization handling your rides depends on your county of residence. A few examples show how this works across the state.
In Luzerne County, MATP service is provided through the Luzerne County Transportation Authority (LCTA). In Lackawanna County, it’s handled by the County of Lackawanna Transit System (COLTS). In Dauphin County, rabbittransit administers medical transportation. In the Lehigh Valley, covering Lehigh and Northampton counties, LANTA provides the service. Every other county has its own designated MATP provider as well.
The type of service offered can vary too. Depending on your county and situation, MATP might provide a shared-ride van that picks up multiple passengers, mileage reimbursement for a friend or family member who drives you, bus passes or tokens for public transit, or transportation through a contracted provider. Your county office determines the most appropriate and cost-effective option for your trip.
How to qualify for MATP in Pennsylvania
To be eligible for MATP, you generally need to meet a few core requirements.
You must be enrolled in Medicaid (Medical Assistance): MATP is a benefit tied to Medicaid eligibility, so being enrolled in Pennsylvania’s Medical Assistance program is the foundation of qualifying. If you’re not yet enrolled in Medicaid but think you may be eligible, applying for Medical Assistance is the first step.
You must be a Pennsylvania resident: The program serves Pennsylvania residents and is administered through the county where you live.
You must need transportation to a covered medical service: The trip has to be to a medical appointment or service that Medicaid covers. Rides for non-medical purposes don’t qualify.
You generally must lack another reasonable means of transportation: MATP is intended for people who don’t have a readily available way to get to their appointments, whether because they don’t drive, don’t own a vehicle, can’t afford other options, or can’t use them due to a disability.
If you meet these conditions, you’re likely eligible to use the program for your covered medical appointments.
How to apply and schedule rides
Getting set up with MATP involves contacting your county’s MATP office and registering before you need your first ride. Because each county runs its own program, the application process and the phone number to call depend on where you live. Your county assistance office, your Medicaid plan, or your healthcare provider’s office can usually point you to the right MATP contact for your area.
When you register, you’ll typically provide proof of Medicaid eligibility and information about your transportation needs. Once enrolled, you schedule rides in advance, often several days ahead, by contacting the program and giving details about your appointment, including the date, time, location, and the type of medical service.
A few practical tips make the process smoother. Register early, before you have an urgent appointment, since enrollment and verification can take time. Book your rides as far ahead as possible, because same-day or last-minute trips usually aren’t guaranteed. And if you have recurring appointments like dialysis, ask how the program handles standing or repeating trips so you’re not rebooking from scratch each time.
The limits of MATP and when to consider other options
MATP is a genuinely valuable program, and for eligible patients it removes a major obstacle to care at little or no cost. But it does have limits that are worth understanding honestly.
Because many MATP trips are shared rides, schedules can be rigid, and a trip may involve picking up other passengers and making multiple stops, which can turn a short journey into a long one. Advance booking is usually required, so the program isn’t built for spur-of-the-moment needs. And the level of service may not suit every patient, particularly those who are very frail, who have time-sensitive treatments, or who need consistent, dependable, door-to-door care without the unpredictability of a shared route.
For these situations, many patients use a private non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) provider, either alongside MATP or as their main option. A dedicated NEMT provider offers door-to-door service, appropriate vehicles for wheelchair or stretcher needs, and reliable, on-time pickups scheduled around the patient’s appointment rather than a shared route. For recurring dialysis or chemotherapy trips where being late isn’t acceptable, that dependability can make all the difference.
Common questions
Is MATP really free?
For eligible Medicaid patients, MATP provides free or very low-cost transportation to covered medical appointments. Exact details depend on your county and the type of service provided.
What appointments does MATP cover?
MATP covers rides to Medicaid-covered medical services, including doctor visits, dialysis, therapy, mental health and dental appointments, and other covered care. It does not cover non-medical trips.
How far in advance do I need to book an MATP ride?
Usually several days in advance. Same-day rides generally aren’t guaranteed, so booking early and setting up recurring trips for regular appointments is the most reliable approach.
What if I don’t qualify for MATP or need more reliable service?
If you’re not eligible for Medicaid or need dependable door-to-door service that shared rides can’t provide, a private non-emergency medical transportation provider can transport you regardless of Medicaid status.
Dependable medical transportation across Pennsylvania
Whether you use MATP or need a reliable private option, Touch of Kindness Transportation provides safe, door-to-door non-emergency medical transportation throughout Pennsylvania. We offer ambulatory, wheelchair-accessible, and stretcher service with trained drivers, and we specialize in dependable, recurring trips for dialysis, chemotherapy, therapy, and follow-up appointments.