T2049: Stretcher van mileage billing code
T2049 is the HCPCS code for non-emergency stretcher van mileage, per mile. It goes on its own claim line next to the T2005 stretcher van base rate, one unit per mile. Medicare does not pay it. A stretcher mile does not always pay more than a wheelchair mile: in 2026, Colorado pays $1.86 for T2049 against $2.74 for S0209.
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T2049 in the HCPCS file
The CMS HCPCS file for October 2026 lists T2049 as “Non-emergency transportation; stretcher van, mileage; per mile.” The short descriptor is “N-et; stretcher van, mileage.” T2049 was added in July 2004, more than two years after the stretcher van base code, and carries Medicare coverage code I, not payable by Medicare.
How T2049 works on a claim
T2049 is the mileage half of a stretcher transportation trip. The base rate goes on one line as T2005, and the miles go on the next line as T2049, one unit per mile. It is the stretcher counterpart to S0209, which covers wheelchair van miles.
Which miles count is the payer’s call. Arizona pays loaded miles, the distance in statute miles with the member on board. South Dakota pays loaded miles outside city limits only. Colorado pays the shortest trip length by online map or GPS.
How stretcher miles compare with wheelchair miles
States do not always pay more for a stretcher mile than for a wheelchair mile. The 2026 schedules put the two mileage codes side by side:
| State | T2049 (stretcher) | S0209 (wheelchair) | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $1.86 a mile | $2.74 a mile | Effective July 1, 2026 |
| Arizona (AHCCCS) | $1.54 urban, $1.66 rural with TN | $1.54 urban, $1.66 rural with TN | Effective October 1, 2026 |
| North Dakota | $2.57 a mile | $2.57 a mile | July 1, 2026 schedule |
| South Dakota | $2.61 a loaded mile, outside city limits only | $2.61 a loaded mile, outside city limits only | Effective July 1, 2026 |
South Dakota labels its S0209 line secured van mileage rather than wheelchair van mileage, but the pairing is the same.
Colorado splits the two in opposite directions. Its stretcher base, $49.42, is higher than its wheelchair base, $34.14, while its stretcher mileage is lower. The longer the trip, the more that lower mileage rate matters.
South Dakota counts T2049 miles from the point where the trip goes outside city limits to the destination. It pays one mileage allowance per trip no matter how many passengers ride, and it wants whole miles with no decimals.
Stretcher mileage mistakes
- Billing S0209 on a stretcher trip. Stretcher miles are T2049, even when the vehicle can also carry wheelchairs.
- Assuming stretcher miles pay more. In Colorado they pay less than wheelchair miles.
- Billing last year’s Colorado rate. T2049 dropped from $1.90 to $1.86 a mile on July 1, 2026, so the date of service decides the rate.
- Billing in-town miles in South Dakota. Only miles past the city limits count.
Not every state uses T2049. Medi-Cal bills litter van mileage under A0380. For the full list, see NEMT billing codes. For the claim steps, see how to bill Medicaid for NEMT.
Frequently asked questions
- Is T2049 paid at the same rate as S0209?
- Often, yes. Arizona, North Dakota, and South Dakota pay stretcher and wheelchair van miles at the same rate in 2026. Arizona pays $1.54 a mile urban and $1.66 rural, North Dakota $2.57, and South Dakota $2.61. Colorado is the outlier. It pays $1.86 a stretcher mile against $2.74 for a wheelchair mile.
- When was T2049 added to HCPCS?
- July 2004, according to the CMS HCPCS file. The stretcher van base code, T2005, was added in April 2002. T2049 carries coverage code I, not payable by Medicare.
- Does T2049 cover miles inside city limits?
- Not in South Dakota. Its fee schedule pays T2049 only for trips outside city limits, measured from the point where the trip leaves town. The city-limit test is South Dakota's own, so check your payer's rule.
