Getting Home from the Hospital: A Discharge Transportation Checklist

When should you arrange hospital discharge transportation?

Start as soon as someone on the care team mentions a likely discharge day. Discharge orders can come late in the day, and the ride is often the last thing left before your parent can leave.

The case manager or discharge planner is your main contact. They know what level of ride your parent needs, what paperwork is coming, and whether the destination is home, a rehab unit, or a nursing home.

Here is the whole plan in one passage. Ask the care team which vehicle your parent needs: a car if they can walk, a wheelchair van if they can sit up but not walk safely, a stretcher van if they must lie flat but are stable, or an ambulance if they need care on the way. Ask who is paying. Original Medicare covers an ambulance from a hospital to home or to a skilled nursing facility only when any other vehicle could endanger the patient’s health, and it does not cover wheelchair vans. Georgia Medicaid members can call Verida, whose line is open 24/7 for hospital discharges. Everyone else books a private ride. Book as early as you can, confirm the time once orders are signed, and make sure someone is waiting at the destination with keys, medications and a clear path inside.

Which vehicle does your parent need to get home?

Let the care team decide based on how your parent will travel safely that day. Hospital stays often leave people weaker than before, so the right ride home may differ from the one that brought them in.

If your parent…	Book	Notes
Walks with little help and can sit in a car seat	Ambulatory ride	Ask for help at the door
Can sit upright but cannot walk safely	Wheelchair van	Rides in a wheelchair the whole way
Must lie flat but is medically stable	Stretcher van	Two-person crew handles transfers
Needs oxygen adjusted, monitoring, an IV or other care en route	Ambulance	Ordered by the care team

See wheelchair, stretcher or ambulance for a fuller decision checklist.

Who pays for transport from the hospital to a nursing home?

It depends on the vehicle and the coverage. Medicare Part B may pay for an ambulance from a hospital to a skilled nursing facility, but only when the trip meets Medicare’s rules.

The Center for Medicare Advocacy lists hospital to home and hospital to a skilled nursing facility as allowed ambulance trips. An ambulance must be the only safe way to travel, and non-emergency trips need a physician’s certification. It also notes that Medicare does not cover wheelchair van transportation, and that if the patient is an inpatient on the day of the trip, the inpatient facility may arrange and bill for it. Patients in hospice should have the hospice arrange trips related to the terminal illness.

Other payers to ask about:

• Georgia Medicaid. The DCH FAQ says the broker’s call center is open 24/7 for hospital discharges. Verida is the broker statewide as of April 1, 2026. See our Medicaid guide.
• Medicare Advantage. Some plans include rides. Check the plan’s Evidence of Coverage.
• The receiving facility. Ask the nursing home or rehab admissions office whether they arrange transport.
• Private pay. Ask for a quote before pickup day.

If an ambulance company thinks Medicare may not pay, Medicare.gov says it must give you an Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage first. Read it before you sign.

The discharge transportation checklist

Print this page or copy the list below. It works for families and for case managers setting up a ride.

Before discharge day

1. Confirm the likely discharge date and the earliest pickup time.
2. Ask the care team which vehicle type your parent needs, and get it in writing in the chart if an ambulance is ordered.
3. Confirm who is paying: Medicare, Medicaid, a Medicare Advantage plan, the receiving facility, or private pay.
4. Book the ride and write down the confirmation details and the company’s phone number.
5. Give the ride company your parent’s weight, wheelchair size if they use one, and any oxygen they will carry.
6. Describe the destination: stairs, ramps, narrow doors, elevators, parking and pets.
7. If going to a nursing home or rehab, confirm the bed is ready and get the admissions contact name and number.

On discharge day

1. Call the ride company once discharge orders are signed and confirm the pickup time.
2. Collect discharge papers, the medication list, new prescriptions and follow-up appointments.
3. Pack clothing, shoes, glasses, hearing aids, dentures, chargers and personal items.
4. Bring equipment the hospital is sending home, such as a walker.
5. Tell the nurse which entrance the driver will use and the room number.
6. Have someone at the destination with keys, the heat or air on, and a clear path to the bed or chair.

For case managers

1. Note the level of service in the discharge plan and share it with the ride company.
2. Share the receiving facility contact and expected arrival time.
3. Flag anything the crew must know: weight, isolation precautions, contractures, or fall risk.
4. Give the family a backup plan if the ride is delayed.

What if the ride is late or the discharge is delayed?

Call the ride company as soon as you know. Discharges often slip by hours, and a quick call lets the company adjust or rebook.

If your parent is a Georgia Medicaid member and the ride is late, call the broker’s “Where’s My Ride” line, option 2. Keep the nurse informed so your parent is not moved to a lobby before the ride arrives.

Which local hospitals are in our area?

Naeli drives from hospitals across Cobb, Paulding and Douglas counties. Wellstar lists these nearby medical centers:

• Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, Marietta
• Wellstar Cobb Medical Center, Austell
• Wellstar Paulding Medical Center, Hiram
• Wellstar Douglas Medical Center, Douglasville

How Naeli Medical Transport can help

Naeli Medical Transport handles hospital discharge rides home, to rehab, and to nursing homes from our base in Kennesaw. We serve Kennesaw, Marietta, Acworth, Powder Springs, Dallas, Hiram and Douglasville every day from 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Wheelchair rides use ADA vans with automated lifts and four-point securement. Stretcher rides use rear-access vans and two-person crews. Drivers are PASS certified, CPR and First Aid trained, and background checked.

We are not an ambulance service and give no medical care during rides. Book 24 to 48 hours ahead when you can; we take same-day discharges when a vehicle is available. Call us to ask whether we can take your Medicaid trip, or book a private-pay ride.

Call (404) 390-9956 for a quote, or contact us online. See our service area for coverage details.