Stretcher chair: the reclining chair between wheelchair and stretcher service
A stretcher chair is a transport wheelchair that tilts and reclines, on some models all the way flat, so a rider who cannot sit upright for long can travel without a gurney. It rolls up the lift and rides on wheelchair tiedowns. The payer still sets the service level from the rider's needs, and California and Illinois stretcher rules call for a gurney or wheeled litter.
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What a stretcher chair is
A stretcher chair is a transport wheelchair built to change position. The seat tilts, the back reclines, and on some models the whole chair lies flat. The goal is to carry a rider who cannot sit upright for the whole trip without moving them onto a gurney.
Broda’s Traversa, which Broda markets as a wheelchair made for NEMT vehicles, is one example. Broda lists these specifications for it:
- Tilt up to 20 degrees and recline up to 90 degrees.
- A weight capacity of up to 450 pounds.
- A seat height that adjusts from 22.5 to 32 inches, which helps with side-to-side transfers from a bed.
- A width of 27 5/8 inches. Length is 58 inches with the leg support lowered and 73 inches in full recline.
- Crash testing to the WC19 specifications.
The chair is still a wheelchair in the van. It rolls up the lift or ramp and is held by wheelchair tiedowns, not a cot mount. That single fact drives most of the billing and staffing questions below. See our Broda chair entry for the maker’s other positioning chairs.
Wheelchair level or stretcher level
The payer decides the level from the rider’s condition. Owning a reclining chair does not change what a trip can be billed as, and the stretcher rules below assume a gurney or litter.
| Program | What stretcher service means | What that implies for a stretcher chair |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota fee-for-service | Mode 7: the client travels prone or supine, so the provider needs a vehicle built for that | Payment follows the rider’s assessed mode, not the vehicle or equipment you send |
| Medi-Cal (California) | Litter van: the rider has to lie down because sitting through the whole trip is not possible | Each litter van carries a two-man gurney, mattress, and straps as standard equipment |
| Illinois | IDPH-licensed stretcher van | The license rules call for a full-size wheeled litter (75 by 22 inches or larger) on a crash-stable mount |
| New Jersey | Riders who must travel prone or supine may not ride in a mobility assistance vehicle | A reclining chair does not move that rider into a MAV |
Read against these definitions, a rider who can travel seated, even tilted back, fits the wheelchair level. A rider whose orders say they must lie flat fits the stretcher level, and the stretcher rules above apply. Our level of service entry explains how payers assign levels, and stretcher transportation covers crew and equipment for the stretcher side.
Securing a stretcher chair in the van
Treat it like any occupied wheelchair, with a few extra checks.
- Confirm it is rated for vehicle use. WC19 chairs are crash tested at 30 mph in a frontal impact using the maker’s own securement points, so hook the tiedowns to those points.
- Set the position first. University of Michigan crash researchers point out that changing the seat angle once the straps are tensioned can loosen them, most of all when the front points are on the base and the rear points are on the seat. Tilt or recline, then tension the straps, and do not adjust the chair on the road.
- Measure the space. Federal ADA vehicle specifications give each securement area a clear floor space of 30 by 48 inches. A chair that is 73 inches long when fully reclined will not fit a station built to that minimum. Check the lift platform, the door opening, and the floor length before you accept the trip.
- Belt the rider. Positioning belts on the chair do not replace an occupant belt. Massachusetts human service transportation standards, for example, require a lap and shoulder belt assembly on top of all other securement.
Before you quote a stretcher chair trip
Ask the broker or payer which level the trip is authorized at, and make sure the facility’s paperwork says the same thing. If the order says the rider must lie flat, send a stretcher crew and vehicle. Illinois requires a crew of at least two trained attendants on a stretcher van, and Medi-Cal staffs litter vans with a driver and an attendant.
HealthRide records each rider’s wheelchair or stretcher need on the trip itself, and the dispatch board stops you before that trip goes to a van without the right equipment.
Frequently asked questions
- Does a stretcher chair count as a stretcher?
- No. It is a wheelchair with a reclining back, secured with wheelchair tiedowns. State stretcher rules describe different equipment. Every Medi-Cal litter van must carry a two-man gurney fitted with a mattress and restraining straps. An Illinois stretcher van needs a primary wheeled litter, 75 inches long and 22 inches wide at minimum, held by a crash-stable quick-release fastener.
- Can one driver run a stretcher chair trip alone?
- Only if the trip is booked at a level that allows a one-person crew. Broda sells its Traversa chair as operable by one person, but the crew rule comes from the service level, not the chair. Illinois sets a minimum crew of two trained attendants for any stretcher van, and Medi-Cal staffs each litter van with a certified driver plus an attendant.
- Does a stretcher chair ride pay the stretcher rate?
- Only when the payer authorizes the stretcher level. Minnesota pays by the rider's assessed mode rather than the vehicle used. From July 1, 2026 its fee-for-service stretcher mode pays $60 per trip plus $2.54 per loaded mile, while the lift or ramp mode pays $19.80 plus $1.80. Get the level confirmed before you quote the trip.
