What Original Medicare covers
Part B covers ambulance services to the nearest appropriate facility when you need medical care on the way and other transportation could endanger your health. You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount after the Part B deductible. It does not cover:
- Rides by car, taxi, van or rideshare to routine doctor visits.
- Rides to therapy, dialysis or chemotherapy, unless ambulance criteria are met.
- Trips to the pharmacy.
Medicare Advantage plans
Medicare Advantage plans may offer extra benefits such as dental, vision, hearing or fitness. Extra benefits vary by plan and county, may have limits and costs, and not every plan offers them. Check a plan's Summary of Benefits or Evidence of Coverage. Rides to medical appointments are another extra benefit some plans offer, with the same caveats. Keep in mind that in Grant, Harney, Lake, Umatilla and Union counties no Medicare Advantage plan is open to everyone for 2027, so see your county page first.
Oregon Health Plan rides
OHP pays for non-emergency medical transportation to OHP-covered care for members with OHP Plus benefits. Most people with both OHP and Medicare have "OHP with Limited Drug," which has the same benefits as OHP Plus except for drugs Part D covers.
- Find your ride service. Each county has a ride service for CCO members and for open card members. OHA's ride page lists them.
- Call before the day of your appointment. Rides can be by bus, taxi, van or another local service.
- Get approval first. OHP only pays travel costs, including gas, meals or lodging, if the ride service approves them before you go.
Other options in Oregon
- PACE, available in some Oregon counties for people 55 and older who need a nursing home level of care, includes transportation to the PACE center and to care.
- Local senior transportation: call ODHS Aging and People with Disabilities at 1-855-673-2372, or dial 211, to find programs in your county.
- Veterans: ask your VA facility about transportation to VA care.
Related questions
Does Medicare cover ambulance rides in Oregon?
When an ambulance is covered.
Does Medicare cover me outside Oregon?
Travel and winters away.
Can I have Medicare and OHP?
How the two work together.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Ambulance services
- Oregon Health Authority — OHP rides to health care
- Oregon Health Authority — OHP and Medicare
- Medicare.gov — PACE
- Oregon Department of Human Services — Long-term care and community services
More questions in this guide
- Does Medicare cover acupuncture in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover ambulance service in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover annual physicals in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover assisted living in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover bone density tests in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover cataract surgery in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover chiropractic care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover a colonoscopy in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover CPAP machines in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover dental care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover diabetic supplies in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover flu shots in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover hearing aids in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover home health care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare pay for in-home caregivers in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover mammograms in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover me when I travel or spend winters outside Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover medical marijuana in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover memory care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover mental health care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover naturopathic doctors in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover nursing home care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover oxygen therapy in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover physical therapy in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover prostate cancer screening in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover psilocybin therapy in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover skilled nursing care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover the shingles vaccine in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover vision care in Oregon?
- Does Medicare cover wheelchairs in Oregon?
Part of the guide: Learn Medicare — the Oregon starter guide · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare pay me back for driving myself?
No. Original Medicare doesn't pay mileage or gas for trips to medical care. If you have OHP Plus benefits, OHP may help with gas, meals or lodging if the ride service approves it before your trip.
Does Medicare pay for a non-emergency ambulance?
Sometimes. Part B may cover a scheduled ambulance trip, for example to dialysis, if your doctor writes an order saying ambulance transport is medically necessary. Ask whether the company will give you an Advance Beneficiary Notice if it thinks Medicare won't pay.
Who do I call to book an OHP ride?
Call the ride service for your county, also called a brokerage, before the day of your appointment. OHA lists them by county, and OHP Client Services at 1-800-273-0557 can help if you get stuck.
Medicare in your Oregon county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Multnomah · Washington · Clackamas · Lane · Marion · Jackson · Deschutes · Linn · Douglas · Yamhill · Benton · Polk · Josephine · Umatilla · Klamath · Coos · Columbia · Lincoln · Clatsop · Malheur · All 36 counties →
