A0080: Volunteer driver mileage billing code
A0080 is the HCPCS code for non-emergency transportation per mile when the vehicle is provided by a volunteer, a person or organization with no vested interest in the rider. It is billed in miles, one unit per mile, with no base rate. Medicare does not pay it. Medicaid programs set the rate, such as $0.47 a mile in Colorado from July 1, 2026.
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The official A0080 descriptor
The CMS HCPCS file for October 2026 describes A0080 as “Non-emergency transportation, per mile - vehicle provided by volunteer (individual or organization), with no vested interest.” The code has been in HCPCS since 1982. Its Medicare coverage code is I, not payable by Medicare.
The short descriptor is confusing. It reads “Noninterest escort in non er,” and some fee schedules print that text instead of the long one. North Dakota’s 2026 schedule does. Match on the code, not the words, because A0080 pays for a volunteer’s vehicle miles, not for an escort.
What A0080 covers
A0080 pays mileage when a volunteer drives a Medicaid member to a covered service. The volunteer can be a person or an organization. “No vested interest” is what separates a volunteer from the drivers A0090 names: family members, neighbors, and the member. Those rides bill A0090 instead.
The unit is one mile. There is no base rate code for a volunteer trip, so the payment is miles times the per-mile rate. Colorado pays only the most direct route to and from the appointment. It allows a longer route only when the broker documents a reason such as a road closure or severe weather.
How states pay A0080
| State | A0080 rate | Rule worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $0.47 a mile from July 1, 2026 ($0.48 from October 1, 2025) | Paid per vehicle, no matter how many members or escorts ride. The broker must approve the trip first and assign a trip number. |
| Arizona (AHCCCS) | $0.44 a mile, effective October 1, 2026 | The same $0.44 applies to rural trips billed with the TN modifier. |
| North Dakota | $0.72, July 1, 2026 fee schedule | No service authorization is listed for the code. |
| Oregon | Volunteer rides map to A0080 | OHA’s provider guide, updated December 22, 2025, requires prior authorization for all non-emergency transportation. |
South Dakota shows another approach. Its July 2026 schedule pays recipient, escort, volunteer driver, and nonprofit mileage at a flat $0.70 a mile (rate effective December 1, 2025) without printing a HCPCS code on that line. States choose their own codes and rates, so the fee schedule for the member’s program decides how volunteer miles are claimed.
Common A0080 mistakes
- Treating family as volunteers. A spouse or parent has a vested interest. Their miles go on A0090 in programs that pay family mileage.
- Billing per rider. Colorado pays per vehicle. Two members in one car still earn one set of miles.
- Skipping approval. Without Colorado’s trip number, the mileage and any meals or lodging tied to it can be denied.
- Rounding wrong. Oregon tells providers to round a partial mile up to the next mile. Other programs have their own rules.
Caseworker miles have their own code, A0160. For the full list of codes, see NEMT billing codes, and for the claim process, see how to bill Medicaid for NEMT. The member side of the same idea is covered under mileage reimbursement.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between A0080 and A0090?
- The driver's interest in the rider. A0080 is for a volunteer, a person or organization with no vested interest. A0090 is for someone with a vested interest, such as a family member, a neighbor, or the member driving themselves. Both are billed per mile, and Colorado pays both at $0.47 a mile from July 1, 2026.
- Can a NEMT company bill A0080?
- A for-hire NEMT company bills the base and mileage codes for its vehicle type instead, such as A0120 with S0215 or A0130 with S0209. A0080 describes a vehicle provided by a volunteer, so it belongs to volunteer drivers and volunteer organizations that the program has approved.
- Does Medicare pay A0080?
- No. The CMS HCPCS file gives A0080 coverage code I, not payable by Medicare. Volunteer mileage is a Medicaid benefit, paid under each state's own rules and rates.
