S0215: Non-emergency transportation mileage code
S0215 is the HCPCS code for non-emergency transportation mileage, per mile. It is the general mileage code, used next to taxi, ambulatory, and trip-based base codes rather than wheelchair or stretcher vans, which have their own mileage codes. Medicare does not pay it. Colorado pays $2.74 a mile and South Dakota $1.04 in 2026.
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S0215 in the HCPCS file
The CMS HCPCS file for October 2026 lists S0215 as “Non-emergency transportation; mileage, per mile.” The code was added in 2002 and carries Medicare coverage code I, not payable by Medicare. The descriptor names no vehicle, and several states use it as their general mileage line.
Where S0215 fits
S0215 is the mileage line for trips whose base code has no mileage partner of its own. Wheelchair vans pair with S0209 and stretcher vans with T2049. Taxis, ambulatory vans, trip-based codes such as T2003, and some specialty services pair with S0215. The unit is one mile.
That flexibility means the same code can pay for very different miles. Oregon’s provider guide even lists S0215 as the mileage for non-emergent ambulance trips.
How four states use S0215
Colorado. From July 1, 2025, S0215 replaced A0425 for taxi and ambulatory vehicle mileage, and A0425 now covers ambulance mileage only. The rate is $2.74 a mile from July 1, 2026, down from $3.00. Mileage is the shortest trip length by online map or GPS.
Texas. In the fee-for-service Medical Transportation Program, registered individual transportation participants bill S0215 for mileage reimbursement. These are family members, friends, neighbors, or clients who drive a personal vehicle. They use taxonomy code 347C00000X and file on Form H3017 (handbook dated September 2026).
South Dakota. Community transportation mileage is $1.04 a mile, effective July 1, 2026. It is billable only on trips outside city limits of 21 miles or more one way. In-town driving never counts. One mileage allowance is paid per trip no matter how many riders, and miles are whole numbers with no decimals.
Nevada. Non-emergency secure behavioral health transports bill a base of T2003 and mileage of S0215, both with modifier UA. The base is one unit per claim, and mileage units equal miles (billing guide updated July 27, 2026).
Arizona’s AHCCCS pays S0215 at $1.28 a mile urban and $1.63 rural with TN from October 1, 2026.
S0215 billing pitfalls
- Using S0215 for a wheelchair van. Colorado reserves S0209 for wheelchair van mileage.
- Keeping A0425 out of habit. In Colorado, A0425 on a taxi or ambulatory line for dates after June 30, 2025 is wrong. In Illinois, A0425 is still the non-ambulance mileage code.
- Billing short in-town trips. South Dakota pays S0215 only past city limits on trips of 21 miles or more.
- Forgetting the program modifier. Nevada ties S0215 to modifier UA for secure behavioral health transports, and Arizona requires TN on rural trips.
States choose their own mileage codes and rules, and brokers can set their own. See NEMT billing codes for the full list and how to bill Medicaid for NEMT for the claim steps. For which miles are paid, see loaded miles.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between S0215 and S0209?
- S0209 is mileage for a wheelchair van only. S0215 is general non-emergency transportation mileage, used for taxis, ambulatory vans, and other trip types. Colorado keeps them apart. Its fee schedule labels S0215 "NEMT Mileage - All Other (Excluding Wheelchair Van Mileage)."
- Did S0215 replace A0425 for NEMT mileage?
- In Colorado, yes. Starting with dates of service on July 1, 2025, Colorado bills taxi and ambulatory vehicle mileage under S0215 and keeps A0425 for ambulance trips only. Other states still use A0425 for non-ambulance miles, including Illinois, so follow your own payer.
- Can S0215 include miles with no rider in the vehicle?
- Usually not. Colorado excludes charges incurred while the member is not in the vehicle, and Arizona pays loaded miles only. South Dakota is the exception. It pays unloaded miles under S0215 on trips outside city limits of 21 miles or more, when the driver is returning to the point of origin or heading to pick up a member being discharged from a hospital or nursing facility.
