# A0120 Billing Code: Mini-Bus and Ambulatory Van Trips, Modifiers, and State Rates

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/glossary/a0120/ · Updated 2026-09-29

A0120 is the HCPCS code for "Non-emergency transportation: mini-bus, mountain area transports, or other transportation systems." Many states use it as the base rate for an ambulatory van or car trip, with miles on a second line. Medicare does not pay it. As of September 2026 it pays $6.64 in urban Arizona, $12.15 in Colorado, $17.65 for a Medi-Cal NMT trip, $18.05 in North Dakota, and $20 in Illinois.

- A0120 is a one-way base rate for a rider who can travel seated in a regular seat, and the loaded miles go on their own line.
- The base rate ranges from $5.20 for an in-town trip in South Dakota to $20 for an Illinois service car, on 2026 schedules.
- Colorado cut its A0120 rate from $36.40 to $12.15 on July 1, 2026, so check the effective date on every schedule you price from.
- Modifiers change the amount: TN for rural trips, TK for an extra rider, UJ for night trips in Medi-Cal, and UN through US for shared rides.
- Some programs use A0120 for something else entirely: Alaska bills bus, ferry, and train fares on it, and Hawaii a stretcher van add-on.

## What A0120 means

CMS lists A0120 in the national HCPCS code set as "Non-emergency transportation: mini-bus, mountain area transports, or other transportation systems." The short description is "Noner transport mini-bus." 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, and pricing indicator 00, which means Part B sets no price.

The descriptor is broad, and "other transportation systems" leaves each state room to give A0120 its own meaning:

| Program | What it calls A0120 |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Mini-bus, mountain area transports, and other transportation |
| Colorado | Mobility van base rate |
| Medi-Cal | The base rate for every non-medical transportation (NMT) trip, by car, taxi, or other vehicle |
| North Dakota | Minibus, defined as a small bus for 8 to 15 passengers |
| Illinois | Service car base rate: a passenger vehicle for riders who do not need an ambulance or a medicar |
| South Dakota | Mini-bus or other transportation system trip by a community transportation provider |
| Oregon | City bus transit, bus tickets, or passes |
| Alaska | Bus, ferry, train, and other fares |
| Hawaii fee-for-service dental rides | Stretcher van add-on, for a gurney |

In most programs, A0120 is the one-way base rate for a rider who can sit in a regular seat, and the loaded miles go on a separate line. Riders who travel seated in a wheelchair bill [A0130](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/a0130/) instead. Bus fares on a regular carrier usually bill [A0110](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/a0110/). See [NEMT billing codes](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-billing-codes/) for the full list.

## A0120 rates by state

| Program | A0120 base rate | Mileage | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota, in the city | $5.20 per one-way trip | None paid in the city | July 1, 2026 |
| South Dakota, outside the city (TN) | $7.80 per one-way trip | S0215 at $1.04 a mile, only for trips of 21 miles or more one way | July 1, 2026 |
| [Arizona](https://nemtguide.com/states/arizona/), Phoenix and Tucson areas | $6.64, the same as on the October 1, 2018 schedule | S0215 at $1.28 a mile | October 1, 2026 |
| Arizona, rural (TN) | $7.27, also unchanged since October 1, 2018 | S0215 at $1.63 a mile, up from $1.53 | October 1, 2026 |
| [Colorado](https://nemtguide.com/states/colorado/) | $12.15 per one-way trip (it was $36.40 from October 1, 2025) | S0215 at $2.74 a mile | July 1, 2026 |
| [Medi-Cal](https://nemtguide.com/states/california/), NMT | $17.65 per one-way trip, or $23.78 at night (UJ) | A0390 at $1.30 a mile | Manual rate page updated August 2020, current in September 2026 |
| North Dakota, minibus | $18.05 | S0215 at $0.72 a mile | July 1, 2026 |
| [Illinois](https://nemtguide.com/states/illinois/), service car | $20 per trip in every county | A0425 at $1.03 a mile in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties, $1.61 in Madison and St. Clair, and $0.80 elsewhere | January 1, 2026 |
| [Hawaii](https://nemtguide.com/states/hawaii/) fee-for-service dental rides | $107 one way, as a stretcher van add-on to the A0100 base | S0215 on the A0100 base | Memo effective April 15, 2024, and the fee schedule as of June 1, 2026 |
| [Alaska](https://nemtguide.com/states/alaska/) | Billed charges, no more than the fare other passengers pay | None | July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 |
| [New Mexico](https://nemtguide.com/states/new-mexico/) | Individual pricing, currently a managed care benefit only | None listed | January 1, 2025 |
| [Indiana](https://nemtguide.com/states/indiana/) | Not covered. Commercial ambulatory rides bill T2003, at $12.71 a trip since January 1, 2026. | None | Schedule updated June 9, 2026 |

AHCCCS also sets lower Arizona rates for rideshare companies on its health plan capped schedule: $4.00 urban and $4.38 rural for A0120, from October 1, 2026. Health plans and brokers pay the rate in your agreement, which can differ from any state schedule. See [NEMT reimbursement rates](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-reimbursement-rates/) for how to compare them.

**Worked example: a 10-mile one-way ambulatory trip.**

| Program | Math | Most it pays |
|---|---|---|
| South Dakota, outside the city | $7.80, with no mileage because the trip is under 21 miles | $7.80 |
| Arizona, urban | $6.64 + 10 × $1.28 | $19.44 |
| Arizona, rural | $7.27 + 10 × $1.63 | $23.57 |
| North Dakota | $18.05 + 10 × $0.72 | $25.25 |
| Illinois, Cook County | $20.00 + 10 × $1.03 | $30.30 |
| Medi-Cal, daytime | $17.65 + 10 × $1.30 | $30.65 |
| Colorado | $12.15 + 10 × $2.74 | $39.55 |

South Dakota's rates are maximums, and both Dakotas require you to bill your usual and customary charge, so never bill the schedule amount if you charge others less.

## Modifiers for A0120

Each program defines its own modifiers. The ones that change what A0120 pays:

| Modifier | Program | What it means | Effect on A0120 |
|---|---|---|---|
| TN | Arizona, South Dakota | Rural trip. In Arizona, any trip that starts outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. In South Dakota, a trip outside the city. | Higher base rate: $7.27 in Arizona, $7.80 in South Dakota |
| TK | South Dakota | Additional rider on the same trip | $2.60 in the city, $3.90 outside it (TN TK) |
| TK | Alaska | An escort | Billed at the escort's fare |
| UJ | Medi-Cal | Night trip, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., including one that spans either hour | $23.78 instead of $17.65 |
| UN, UP, UQ, UR, US | Medi-Cal | Two, three, four, five, or six or more riders from one pickup to one destination | $14.10, $11.17, then $10.01 per patient |
| 59 | South Dakota | A second line for more trips on the same day | Lets you bill up to four one-way trips on one date |
| UC, U1, U2, U3 | New Mexico | The member, then the first, second, and third family member, one of whom can be the escort | Individually priced |
| RP, PR, RI, IR, IP, PI | Hawaii dental rides | Residence, dental office, and airport legs | Identifies the leg |

Arizona explains the reason for its rural rate: long distances, unmaintained or dirt roads, and a lack of providers outside the two metro areas. Where your state uses [origin and destination modifiers](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/origin-destination-modifiers/), add them to A0120 as well.

## Group rides, mountain areas, and other ways programs use A0120

The descriptor names mini-buses and mountain area transports, and several programs use A0120 for group rides and rural transport:

- **South Dakota community transportation.** Only a government entity, a nonprofit registered with the South Dakota Secretary of State, or an enrolled secure medical transportation provider can bill it, and the last must also enroll as a community transportation provider. Vehicles must be owned by or registered to the provider, with commercial or exempt plates. A vehicle with both securement and regular seats, such as a bus with a ramp, can serve both programs if the provider enrolls in both.
- **North Dakota minibuses.** Every minibus trip needs prior approval on form SFN 1507 from the human services zone or tribal office, and a trip ticket (SFN 296) with the claim. You bill for only one member, however many ride.
- **Arkansas day treatment.** Adult developmental day treatment and early intervention day treatment centers (ADDT and EIDT) that drive their own clients bill Medicaid directly under provider type 24 with A0120, outside the regional broker program.
- **North Carolina county rides.** Contract vendors bill A0120 for minibuses, vans, mountain area transports, or other systems, and for wheelchair van trips that are not medically necessary. A medically necessary wheelchair van trip bills A0130.

Group work pays less per rider. Plan shared routes with the per-rider rates above, not the single-rider base. See [rural NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/rural-nemt/) for how distance changes the math.

## Who can bill A0120, and the limits that apply

Enrollment decides whether A0120 is open to you:

- **Medi-Cal NMT.** A company already enrolled for NEMT adds the NMT category of service on form DHCS 6209. A new company files the transportation application package (DHCS 6206, 6208, and 6207) with the application fee. Each rider must attest, in writing or out loud, to an unmet transportation need, and an attestation for regular trips lasts no more than a month. A0120 is limited to eight units a month per member unless the claim documents the need for more.
- **South Dakota.** Up to four one-way trips on one date of service. A rider who sees three providers in different places and goes home bills two units of A0120 on one line and two units of A0120 with modifier 59 on a second line.
- **Illinois.** Every non-emergency trip to medical care needs prior authorization, and service car trips pay a base rate plus loaded miles under 89 Ill. Adm. Code 140.492.
- **Alaska.** Every bus, ferry, or train fare needs a service authorization, and claims over $89 need a copy of the travel voucher and the charge slip.

## How to bill A0120 step by step

1. **Confirm the code and your category.** Check that your payer uses A0120 for your service and that you are enrolled in the right category, such as NMT in Medi-Cal or community transportation in South Dakota.
2. **Get the approval.** Use the payer's form or portal, such as SFN 1507 in North Dakota or prior authorization in Illinois. See [prior authorization](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/prior-authorization/).
3. **Bill one unit per one-way trip.** Most programs treat A0120 as a one-way base rate. Put extra trips on the same day on the lines your program requires.
4. **Put the miles on their own line.** Use the mileage code your schedule pairs with A0120, and bill only [loaded miles](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/loaded-miles/).
5. **Add the modifiers.** Rural, night, shared ride, and origin and destination modifiers change the payment, so check each one.
6. **Keep the trip record.** Keep a signed record of every leg. South Dakota recommends its Transportation Documentation Form, and North Dakota wants the SFN 296 trip ticket.

## Frequently asked questions

### What mileage code goes with A0120?

Usually S0215, "Non-emergency transportation; mileage, per mile." Arizona pays it at $1.28 a mile in the Phoenix and Tucson areas from October 1, 2026, Colorado at $2.74 from July 1, 2026, and North Dakota at $0.72. Other programs differ: Illinois pays A0425 on service car trips, and Medi-Cal pays A0390 at $1.30 a mile on NMT trips. Use the code on your schedule or broker rate sheet.

### Does Medicare pay the A0120 billing code?

No. The October 2026 CMS HCPCS file gives A0120 coverage code I, which means not payable by Medicare, and pricing indicator 00, which means Part B sets no price. The code has been in the national set since January 1, 1982. Medicaid programs, health plans, and brokers decide whether they pay it and how much.

### Can I bill A0120 for a wheelchair van trip?

Only where your program says so. North Carolina's county manual (revised March 16, 2026) bills a wheelchair van trip that is not medically necessary as A0120, and a medically necessary one as A0130. Hawaii's fee-for-service dental ride memo uses A0120 as a $107 one-way stretcher van add-on. Everywhere else, bill the level of service the rider needed on the code your schedule names.

### How many A0120 trips can I bill in a day or a month?

It depends on the program. Medi-Cal limits A0120 to eight units a month per member unless the claim or an attachment shows the member needed the trips for covered care. South Dakota pays up to four one-way community transportation trips on one date of service, and a third round trip in a day is the member's own cost.

### Does A0120 pay for each rider on a shared trip?

In some programs, at a lower rate. South Dakota pays $2.60 for each additional rider in town and $3.90 outside town with modifier TK, as of July 1, 2026. Medi-Cal pays shared NMT rides per patient: $14.10 each for two riders, $11.17 for three, and $10.01 for four or more. North Dakota pays for only one member on a minibus trip, however many ride.

## Official resources

- [CMS: HCPCS quarterly update files](https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/healthcare-common-procedure-system/quarterly-update)
- [AHCCCS: Ground NEMT fee schedules by year](https://www.azahcccs.gov/PlansProviders/RatesAndBilling/FFS/transportationground.html)
- [South Dakota Medicaid: Transportation Services Fee Schedule](https://dss.sd.gov/docs/medicaid/providers/feeschedules/Other_Services/Transportation_Services_Current.pdf)
- [Medi-Cal: Medical Transportation, Ground billing codes and rates](https://mcweb.apps.prd.cammis.medi-cal.ca.gov/file/manual?fn=mctrangndcd.pdf)
- [Illinois HFS: Transportation reimbursement and fee schedules](https://hfs.illinois.gov/medicalproviders/medicaidreimbursement/transportation.html)