# A0090 Billing Code: Family and Friend Driver Mileage, Gas Reimbursement, and State Rates

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/glossary/a0090/ · Updated 2026-09-28

A0090 is the HCPCS code for non-emergency transportation per mile when the vehicle belongs to someone with a vested interest in the rider: a family member, a neighbor, or the rider. It pays loaded miles only, and Medicare does not pay it. Indiana pays $0.53 a mile as of January 1, 2026, Arizona $0.44 from October 1, 2026, and Illinois $0.23 for private auto trips as of January 1, 2026.

- A0090 pays per loaded mile when a relative, a neighbor, or the rider provides the car.
- The driver must sign up first: Indiana enrolls family drivers as specialty 266, and Texas registers them as individual transportation participants.
- In Indiana, Texas, and North Dakota, every trip still needs approval before the ride, from the broker, the state program, or a county or tribal office.
- On three state fee schedules in 2026, A0090 pays from $0.23 a mile in Illinois to $0.53 a mile in Indiana.
- Arizona fee-for-service will not pay a member who drives themselves, even though the code names "self."

## What A0090 means

CMS lists A0090 in the national HCPCS code set as "Non-emergency transportation, per mile - vehicle provided by individual (family member, self, neighbor) with vested interest." The October 2026 quarterly file shows the code has been in the set since January 1, 1982. It carries coverage code I, which means Medicare does not pay it.

The description does three things:

- **Sets the unit.** One unit is one mile. There is no base charge for the trip.
- **Names the drivers.** A family member, a neighbor, or the rider ("self").
- **Separates it from A0080.** A0090 is for someone "with vested interest" in the rider. [A0080](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/a0080/) is for a volunteer "with no vested interest."

It is often called mileage reimbursement or gas reimbursement. It pays the person who drives, not a transportation company. See Medicaid mileage reimbursement, and see [NEMT billing codes](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-billing-codes/) for the codes a company bills for its own trips.

## Why Medicaid pays family and friends to drive

The federal rules make free rides come first and paid rides a fallback. The CMS Medicaid Transportation Coverage Guide (SMD 23-006, September 28, 2023) says:

- States must first use any free rides available, such as from family or friends.
- When several modes fit, states must use the least costly one that suits the rider's physical and emotional condition. See least costly mode.
- A state may expect a member to use their own car, unless the member's circumstances prevent it. The guide names maintenance and fuel costs as examples.

Indiana's family member page describes who the option is for: members who make frequent medical trips and have someone willing and able to drive them, when the driving is a financial burden for that person.

42 CFR 440.170(a)(2) also says transportation comes only from a provider the state can pay directly, except under a broker program. In practice, the states below have family drivers enroll or register before they are paid.

## Who can be paid under A0090

| Program | Who can drive | How the driver signs up |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | Family members, close associates, or able-bodied members themselves | The member completes the Medicaid Family Member or Associate Transportation Services Form. The driver enrolls with the IHCP as provider type 26, specialty 266. The Division of Family Resources office in the member's county must authorize all family member transportation. |
| Texas fee-for-service | The responsible party, a family member, a friend, a neighbor, or the client | The client asks the Medical Transportation Program, and TMHP mails the driver a registration package. The driver registers as an individual transportation participant (ITP), not as a Medicaid provider. TMHP's recommended code for ITP mileage is S0215, not A0090. |
| North Dakota | Friends, family, neighbors, foster and kinship caregivers, and guardians | The driver enrolls with ND Medicaid. Its schedule has no A0090 line, and private vehicle mileage is paid under its non-commercial and volunteer line, A0080. |
| Illinois | People who own or lease and drive a private automobile licensed by the Secretary of State | The driver enrolls as a private auto provider, category of service 055. Private auto trips need no PCS or CTS form and no fingerprint check. |
| Arizona fee-for-service | A family member who is an AHCCCS registered provider before the trip | Not paid if the relative could reasonably be expected to drive, such as a mother driving her child, or if free transportation is available. |

## A0090 rates by state

| Program | Rate per mile | Effective |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $0.53 (it was $0.52 in 2025) | January 1, 2026 |
| Arizona AHCCCS | $0.44, the same inside and outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas | October 1, 2026 |
| Illinois | $0.23 in every county, listed as "per trip-private auto (mileage)" | January 1, 2026 |
| North Dakota | No A0090 line. Non-commercial and volunteer mileage (A0080) pays $0.72. | July 1, 2026 |
| South Dakota | One rate of $0.70 for a recipient, escort, volunteer driver, or nonprofit service organization, with no code on the schedule | December 1, 2025 |

For comparison, the IRS medical mileage rate for 2026 is 20.5 cents a mile from January 1 to June 30 and 23.5 cents from July 1 to December 31, under IRS news releases IR-2025-128 and IR-2026-29. These are tax deduction rates, not Medicaid rates.

**Worked example.** A daughter drives her mother 17 loaded miles to a clinic and 17 miles home. That is 34 billable miles:

| Program | Math | Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 34 x $0.53 | $18.02 |
| Arizona | 34 x $0.44 | $14.96 |
| Illinois | 34 x $0.23 | $7.82 |

The miles the daughter drives from her own home to pick her mother up are not [loaded miles](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/loaded-miles/) and are not paid.

## How gas reimbursement works in practice

Programs differ in the forms, but the steps line up:

1. **The member asks.** In Indiana the member fills out the request form for the driver. In Texas the client calls the Medical Transportation Program.
2. **The driver signs up.** Indiana asks for the signed request form, a driver's license, auto insurance and registration for the vehicle, and a W-9, and says to allow at least 15 business days. Texas mails an ITP application and an electronic funds transfer form.
3. **Each trip is approved before the ride.** Indiana family drivers get authorization from the member's transportation broker. Texas mails the client a preprinted ITP Service Record, Form H3017. North Dakota uses form SFN 1507.
4. **The ride is proven.** On the Texas H3017, the doctor, dentist, or drug store that saw the client signs to show the ride happened.
5. **The driver files the claim.** In Texas the ITP signs the H3017, adds the API and taxonomy code TMHP assigned, and mails it to Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership, Claims, PO Box 200555, Austin, TX 78720-0555, within 95 days of the ride.
6. **Payment is miles times the rate.** Indiana pays the actual loaded mileage times the rate per mile.

### Indiana: family member drivers

Indiana's family member page and transportation module (version 6.1, published August 19, 2025) add these rules:

- **One member per request form.** A driver who takes more than one family member enrolls once but needs a separate request form from each member.
- **Trips go through the broker.** After enrolling, the driver contracts with Verida for Traditional Medicaid members, or with the health plan's broker for managed care members. See the [Verida broker guide](https://nemtguide.com/brokers/verida/).
- **No extra pay for extra riders.** Indiana pays nothing more for multiple passengers in a family member vehicle.
- **Five-year revalidation.** The state asks family drivers to revalidate every five years, and to send new copies of the license, registration, and insurance as they expire.
- **Common carriers can enroll too.** Indiana says an IHCP-enrolled NEMT common carrier provider can also enroll as a family member or associate driver, using an individual name.

See the Indiana state guide.

### Texas: individual transportation participants

The Texas Medical Transportation Program handbook (September 2026) calls these drivers individual transportation participants. After TMHP processes the application, it sends the ITP an Atypical Provider Identifier and a [taxonomy code](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/taxonomy-code/) to use on every claim. TMHP lists S0215, not A0090, as the recommended procedure code for ITP claims. Every ride must be prior authorized by the program, and a claim missing any required item on the H3017 is denied. An ITP may not charge the client for filling out claim forms or for denied claims. See the [Texas state guide](https://nemtguide.com/states/texas/).

## Mistakes that stop A0090 payments

- **Driving before the driver is enrolled or registered.** Arizona pays a family member only if they were a registered provider before the trip.
- **No approval for the trip.** Indiana, Texas, North Dakota, and Illinois want the ride approved first.
- **Billing the empty miles.** Only miles with the rider on board count.
- **Billing a second rider.** Indiana and North Dakota pay for one member per trip.
- **Late or incomplete claims.** Texas denies an H3017 that arrives more than 95 days after the ride or is missing a signature, the API, or the taxonomy code.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I get paid to drive a family member to medical appointments?

In many states, yes, if you sign up first and every trip is approved. Indiana enrolls family members and close associates as transportation providers, specialty 266, paid for loaded miles only. Texas registers family members, friends, and neighbors as individual transportation participants. North Dakota lets friends and family enroll as drivers. Ask your state Medicaid agency or broker how to start.

### Can a Medicaid member bill A0090 for driving themselves?

The code's description names "self," but each program decides. Texas lets the client be the registered driver. Arizona's fee-for-service manual, revised July 31, 2026, says no member may drive themselves and bill AHCCCS, because a member who can drive has arranged their own transportation. Check your program before you drive.

### Does A0090 pay for gas receipts or for miles?

For miles. The code is per mile, and Indiana figures payment as the actual loaded mileage times the rate per mile. Illinois pays private auto trips a loaded mileage rate, $0.23 a mile as of January 1, 2026. The miles driven without the rider on board are not paid.

### What is the difference between A0090 and A0080?

A0090 covers a vehicle provided by someone "with vested interest," and the description names a family member, the rider, or a neighbor. A0080 covers a volunteer, individual or organization, "with no vested interest." Arizona pays both at $0.44 a mile from October 1, 2026. Indiana pays A0090 but lists A0080 as not covered.

### Can I bill A0090 for a second family member who rides along?

Usually not. Indiana's transportation module says it pays nothing extra for multiple passengers in family member vehicles. North Dakota lets private vehicle drivers bill for only one member per trip, no matter how many ride. Ask before you plan a trip for two riders.

## Official resources

- [Indiana Medicaid: How family member and associate drivers enroll](https://www.in.gov/medicaid/providers/provider-enrollment/family-memberassociate-transportation-providers/)
- [Texas Medicaid: Medical Transportation Program Handbook (ITP registration and Form H3017)](https://www.tmhp.com/sites/default/files/file-library/resources/provider-manuals/tmppm/pdf-chapters/2026/2026-09-september/2_14_med_transport_program.pdf)
- [North Dakota Medicaid: NEMT billing and policy manual](https://www.hhs.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/medicaid-policies/non-emergency-medical-transportation.pdf)
- [CMS: Medicaid Transportation Coverage Guide (SMD 23-006)](https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/smd23006.pdf)
- [CMS: HCPCS quarterly update files](https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/healthcare-common-procedure-system/quarterly-update)