S0209: Wheelchair van mileage billing code
S0209 is the HCPCS code for wheelchair van mileage, per mile. It goes on its own claim line next to the A0130 wheelchair van base rate, one unit per mile. Arizona and South Dakota pay loaded miles only. Medicare does not pay it. Current Medicaid rates include $1.54 a mile in urban Arizona, $2.74 in Colorado, and $3.60 in New York City.
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The official S0209 descriptor
The CMS HCPCS file for October 2026 lists S0209 as “Wheelchair van, mileage, per mile.” It was added in January 2002 and carries Medicare coverage code I, not payable by Medicare. Colorado, Arizona, New York, North Dakota, and South Dakota all list it on their current Medicaid transportation fee schedules. South Dakota labels it loaded secured van mileage.
How S0209 works on a claim
S0209 is the mileage half of a wheelchair van trip. The base rate goes on one line as A0130. The miles go on the next line as S0209, and the number of units equals the number of miles. Arizona requires both on one claim. A claim with only the base code and a second claim with only mileage are denied as split billing.
Which miles count is up to the payer. Arizona pays loaded miles, measured in statute miles with the member on board. South Dakota pays loaded miles outside city limits only. Colorado pays the shortest trip length as measured by an online map or GPS.
How four states pay S0209
| State | S0209 rate | Rule worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $2.74 a mile from July 1, 2026, down from $3.00 | Claims billing more than 52 miles (125 for members in designated rural counties) are suspended and need a trip attachment. |
| Arizona (AHCCCS) | $1.54 a mile urban, $1.66 rural with TN | Effective October 1, 2026. Rural means a trip that starts outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. |
| New York | $3.60 in New York City; $3.00 in Erie, Monroe, Nassau, and Suffolk; $3.50 in Westchester | Set county by county. The schedule is dated April 5, 2026, but the New York City rate took effect in April 2022 and the others in 2024. |
| North Dakota | $2.57 a mile | July 1, 2026 schedule. Stretcher van mileage (T2049) pays the same, and no service authorization is listed. |
Colorado’s long-trip rule deserves attention. A suspended claim is denied unless it has an attachment with the addresses, times, driver, vehicle, rider confirmation, and a signed form from the treating or referring provider explaining why the member could not be treated within 25 miles.
Not every state uses S0209. Medi-Cal bills wheelchair van mileage under A0380, and Illinois uses A0425. South Dakota uses S0209 at $2.61 a mile but pays it only for trips outside city limits, counted from the point the trip leaves town.
Common S0209 mistakes
- Pairing S0209 with the wrong base code. It belongs with A0130. Stretcher mileage is T2049, and ambulatory mileage is often S0215.
- Billing last year’s rate. Colorado cut S0209 from $3.00 to $2.74 a mile on July 1, 2026, so the date of service decides the rate.
- Putting mileage on every rider’s claim. South Dakota pays one mileage allowance per trip regardless of passengers.
- Decimals. South Dakota wants whole miles, and Oregon rounds partial miles up.
The payer’s fee schedule decides the code, the rate, and which miles count. See NEMT billing codes for the full list and how to bill Medicaid for NEMT for the claim steps. When a payer asks for records, HealthRide’s trip log report exports completed trips to CSV or PDF.
Frequently asked questions
- Does S0209 pay for miles driven without the rider?
- Not in Arizona or South Dakota. Arizona pays loaded miles, measured with the member on board, and South Dakota pays only loaded miles outside city limits. Nebraska takes another route. Its fee schedule says NEMT base rates already include unloaded mileage and the first five loaded miles, so the drive to the pickup is paid through the trip rate.
- Can I use S0209 for a stretcher van?
- No. S0209 is wheelchair van mileage only. Stretcher van mileage uses T2049, and ambulatory mileage usually uses S0215. Colorado's billing manual says S0209 is to be used only for wheelchair van trip mileage.
- Do I round S0209 miles?
- Follow the payer's rule. South Dakota wants whole miles, rounded to the nearest mile, with no decimals. Oregon rounds a partial mile up to the next mile. The number of miles is the number of units on the line.
