T2002: Per diem non-emergency transportation code
T2002 is the HCPCS code for non-emergency transportation billed per diem, one unit per day. It is the daily counterpart to T2003, which is billed per trip. Medicare does not pay it. Colorado, Louisiana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Arizona leave it off their NEMT fee schedules and pay daily travel costs through meal and lodging codes or flat daily amounts.
On this page
T2002 in the HCPCS file
The CMS HCPCS file for October 2026 lists T2002 as “Non-emergency transportation; per diem.” Its short descriptor is “N-et; per diem.” The code was added in April 2002 alongside T2001, T2003, T2004, and T2005, and it carries Medicare coverage code I, not payable by Medicare.
What a per diem unit means
Per diem means per day. One unit of T2002 stands for one day of non-emergency transportation. That makes it the daily counterpart to T2003, which pays one unit per encounter or trip.
The choice between the two matters on a claim. A member with a ride to a clinic and a ride home is two units of a per-trip code. Under a per diem code, the same day would be one unit. The descriptor does not say what the day covers, so a payer that uses T2002 has to define it.
How states pay daily transportation costs
T2002 is a valid national code, but none of the Medicaid transportation schedules used on these code pages list it. That includes the four states below, Arizona’s October 2026 NEMT schedule, Illinois’s January 2026 non-ambulance schedule, New York’s transportation schedule, and Medi-Cal’s ground transportation rates. These programs handle daily costs in other ways:
| State | How daily travel costs are paid | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Lodging (A0180, A0200) at $100.18 per diem and meals (A0190, A0210) at $43.96 per diem, one unit per day each | Effective July 1, 2026 |
| Louisiana | Meals and lodging under A0180 to A0210, capped at U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, which vary by location | Effective October 1, 2025 |
| North Dakota | A0180 lodging at $110 and a full day of meals under A0190 at $32.46, with separate local codes A0191 to A0193 for single meals | Effective July 1, 2026 |
| South Dakota | Flat daily amounts with no HCPCS code: $40 a day for overnight meals without lodging, $150 with lodging, plus $40 for a needed escort | Rates effective August 1 and November 1, 2024 |
South Dakota adds a distance rule. Its overnight amounts are paid only when the medical provider is at least 150 miles from the recipient’s city of residence and the trip is for specialty care or treatment that requires an overnight stay.
Mistakes to avoid with per diem codes
- Assuming the code is active. A national code is not the same as a paid code. If the fee schedule does not list T2002, it has no rate.
- Confusing per diem transport with meals and lodging. Daily meal and lodging allowances have their own ancillary codes.
- Billing trips and days for the same service. A day billed per diem should not also carry per-trip units for the same rides.
If a broker or health plan contract pays a daily rate, the contract names the code to bill. Commercial carrier passes that cover several rides use T2004. For the full code list, see NEMT billing codes. For claim steps, see how to bill Medicaid for NEMT.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between T2002 and T2003?
- The unit. T2002 is per diem, one unit for a day of transportation. T2003 is per encounter or trip, one unit for each trip. A program picks one or the other to match how it wants to pay, and the choice changes how many units you bill for the same day of service.
- Is T2002 the code for meals and lodging?
- Not usually. Meals and lodging have their own HCPCS codes, A0180 through A0210. The states described here pay daily meal and lodging costs under those codes or as flat daily amounts. T2002 describes transportation paid by the day.
- Should I bill T2002 if my contract pays a daily rate?
- Only if the payer tells you to. A daily rate in a contract does not mean the payer uses T2002. Check the fee schedule or the broker agreement for the exact code before the first claim.
