What is level of service?

Level of service (LOS) classifies a trip by the rider's mobility needs. Ambulatory riders can walk to and board a standard vehicle, possibly with a cane or walker. Wheelchair riders travel seated in their own wheelchair in a lift- or ramp-equipped van with a securement system. Stretcher (or gurney) riders must lie down and travel in a stretcher van with trained staff. Bariatric service adds heavy-duty equipment and extra crew. Some payers add door-to-door, door-through-door and escort as service modifiers.

Why level of service matters for NEMT

LOS drives everything: which vehicle you send, which driver is qualified, how long loading takes, what the trip pays and what code you bill. Authorizing and dispatching the wrong LOS produces either an unsafe trip or a denied claim. Decide early which levels your fleet will serve; wheelchair and stretcher pay more but require capital, training and insurance that ambulatory does not.

Related: managing mixed fleets.