Q: Can I charge Medicaid patients a "no-show" fee if the patient fails to cancel an appointment without sufficient notice?
A: No. Medicaid does not allow patients to be billed for missed appointments. If a patient routinely skips scheduled appointments, the office should consider discussing the situation with the patient. Many Medicaid patients do not have access to reliable transportation, which is a frequent cause for missed appointments. The Medicaid Medical Transportation Program, which is housed at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, can help patients schedule transportation to and from physician office visits. Patients can schedule transportation by calling:
- Houston/Beaumont area: (855) 687-4786
- Dallas/Fort Worth area: (855) 687-3255
- All other areas: (877) 633-8747 ([877] MED-TRIP)
If the patient is enrolled in a Medicaid managed care plan, the plan can help you with patient education and case management.
Last Updated On
February 07, 2020
Originally Published On
March 23, 2010