### Minnesota’s NEMT Companies: A Closer Look at Unseen Problems
In the land of 10,000 lakes and abundant opportunities, a troubling tale is emerging from the realm of Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) companies in Minnesota. Nick Shirley, along with a persistent investigator, is shining a light on what might just be the world’s greatest disappearing act—only, in this case, it isn’t rabbits vanishing from hats but rather transportation companies vanishing from reality. With more than 1,020 NEMT companies in the state, something smells fishy, and it’s not just the lakes in the Twin Cities.
This investigation into the NEMT sector has revealed that nearly 900 of these companies are Somali-owned, a statistic that raises questions as much as it raises eyebrows. The duo set off on an expedition to visit 16 of these companies, continuing a rather curious quest that has led Shirley to check in on around 70 of them. Their findings? A lot of mystery and very few operational vehicles. Who knew that behind the glossy banners and registered names, many of these businesses are taking a holiday—or perhaps never vacationed in the first place?
To put it plainly, when they showed up at these locations, a variety of surprises awaited them. One claimed to be a transportation company but functioned from an apartment building. Another was a liquor store, while a third offered wire transfers. It seems that the only common denominator among these supposedly legitimate transportation services is a lack of, well, transportation! The norm across NEMT companies in the United States typically includes about 20 vehicles, each grossing around $70,000 a year. Do the math, and that equals a whole lot of money flowing to businesses that may not even exist.
Further compounding the issue is the apparent absence of oversight. It raises an alarm that while funds are being disbursed, Minnesota’s Department of Human Services appears to be sitting comfortably in their offices, possibly sipping coffee while money is funneled to ghost companies. A gentle nudge for these officials to get out and verify these operations seems necessary because a company cannot be established in a single room apartment—not unless you’re running an Airbnb. One must wonder how many more disguises these companies are wearing and what it will take for the system to wake up.
As investigations like these unfold, it’s crucial to understand that every dollar lost to potential fraud is a dollar that could otherwise support genuine businesses and real services in the community. The failure of oversight might allow for a few at the top to benefit financially, but it does so at the expense of those who genuinely need transportation for health services. Let’s be clear: the stakes are high, and it’s time for a change. Minnesotans deserve better!
