A0130: Wheelchair van billing code
A0130 is the HCPCS code for non-emergency transportation by wheelchair van. It pays the base rate for one trip, usually one unit per one-way leg, and mileage is billed on a separate line, often with S0209. Medicare does not pay it. Medicaid programs set their own rates, such as $34.14 a trip in Colorado from July 1, 2026, and $52.90 in New York City.
On this page
The official A0130 descriptor
The CMS HCPCS file for October 2026 lists A0130 as “Non-emergency transportation: wheelchair van.” Its short descriptor is “Noner transport wheelch van,” and that abbreviated text is what some fee schedules print. The code has been in HCPCS since 1982. It carries Medicare coverage code I, not payable by Medicare, so the money comes from Medicaid, Medicaid plans, brokers, and private payers.
What A0130 pays for
A0130 is the base charge for one wheelchair transportation trip, in a vehicle built or modified to carry riders who stay in their wheelchairs. Colorado pays wheelchair van codes to a mobility vehicle only when the member uses a wheelchair and the vehicle has been modified with wheelchair equipment. Colorado and Louisiana pay A0130 once per one-way leg, so a round trip is two units.
The code pays more than the ambulatory base. In Colorado, A0130 pays $34.14 a leg from July 1, 2026, almost three times the $12.15 base for A0120.
The descriptor says nothing about miles. Mileage goes on its own line, and the payer picks the code:
- S0209 (wheelchair van mileage) in Colorado, New York, Arizona, and North Dakota. See S0209.
- A0380 in California, where Medi-Cal uses it for wheelchair and litter van mileage.
- A0425 in Illinois, which pays wheelchair van mileage under the ground mileage code.
How four Medicaid programs pay A0130
| State | A0130 base rate | Mileage | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| California (Medi-Cal) | $20.30 maximum; $26.43 with UJ for 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. | A0380 at $1.50 a mile | Rate page updated September 2023 |
| Colorado | $34.14 per one-way trip; $63.70 with U9 for an XL wheelchair trip that uses two attendants | S0209 at $2.74 a mile | Effective July 1, 2026 |
| Louisiana | $21.50 per trip leg; $31.50 for a higher level of care | $1.30 a mile, counted from mile zero | Schedule effective October 1, 2025 |
| New York | Set by county: $52.90 in New York City, $64 in Nassau and Suffolk, $41 in Erie | S0209 at $3.00 to $3.60 a mile | Schedule dated April 5, 2026; these rates took effect between 2022 and 2024 |
Each program adds its own conditions. Medi-Cal requires a Treatment Authorization Request for wheelchair van service. It pays per-patient rates with modifiers UN through US when several riders share one trip from the same origin to the same destination. New York’s schedule notes that its fees apply to the fee-for-service broker and may reflect network negotiations.
Arizona’s AHCCCS pays A0130 at $11.15 urban and $12.21 rural with TN from October 1, 2026, with S0209 at $1.54 or $1.66 a mile. North Dakota’s July 2026 schedule pays $18.05.
Even the label varies. South Dakota’s July 2026 fee schedule lists A0130 under secure transportation as a “secure van” and pays $43.39, plus $21.70 for each additional rider billed with TK.
Common A0130 mistakes
- Billing A0130 for a rider who can walk. Colorado pays wheelchair van codes only with a written statement that the member is wheelchair-confined. Otherwise the trip bills as an ambulatory ride under A0120.
- Using the wrong mileage code. S0209 is common but not universal. A Medi-Cal claim with S0209 on it does not match the fee schedule.
- Billing every rider on a shared trip. Medi-Cal puts the multi-patient modifiers on the first recipient’s claim only.
- Night trips without times. Medi-Cal requires the start and stop time of the service on claims billed with UJ.
- Skipping the state’s trip log. Since October 1, 2024, Colorado requires its Standard Trip Log for every ride.
For every NEMT code in one place, read NEMT billing codes. For the claim itself, see how to bill Medicaid for NEMT. Stretcher trips use a different pair, T2005 with T2049. On HealthRide’s dispatch board, a rider’s wheelchair needs are matched to a vehicle with wheelchair space.
Frequently asked questions
- What mileage code goes with A0130?
- Often S0209, wheelchair van mileage per mile. Colorado, New York, Arizona, and North Dakota all list S0209 for wheelchair van miles. California is the main exception, because Medi-Cal bills wheelchair van mileage under A0380. Illinois uses A0425. Check the payer's fee schedule before you build the claim line.
- Does Medicare pay A0130?
- No. The CMS HCPCS file gives A0130 coverage code I, which means not payable by Medicare. Wheelchair van rides are paid by Medicaid, Medicaid health plans, brokers, facilities, and private-pay riders.
- Can I bill A0130 for a rider who can walk?
- Not in Colorado, and often not elsewhere. Colorado pays wheelchair van codes only when the member's medical professional states in writing that the member is wheelchair-confined. Without that statement, the trip is billed at the ambulatory rate even if it ran in a wheelchair van.
- Is A0130 billed per trip or per mile?
- Per trip. A0130 is the base charge for one trip. Colorado and Louisiana pay it per one-way leg, so a round trip is two units. Miles go on their own line with the mileage code your payer uses.
