Billing codes
T2005 Billing Code: Stretcher Van Trips, T2049 Mileage, and State Rates
T2005 is the HCPCS code for a non-emergency stretcher van trip: the base charge for carrying a rider lying down who does not need an ambulance crew. Many programs bill its miles on T2049, stretcher van mileage per mile. Medicare does not pay either code. As of October 1, 2026, Arizona pays $49.09 per trip in the Phoenix and Tucson areas and $86.70 elsewhere.
- T2005 is the base charge for one stretcher van trip, and T2049 is the per-mile charge that often goes with it.
- Medicare does not pay T2005 or T2049, so the rules and rates come from your state Medicaid program, health plan, or broker.
- Rates vary widely: $49.09 to $86.70 in Arizona as of October 1, 2026, and $109.66 in South Dakota as of July 1, 2026.
- Some programs pay stretcher van miles with a different code, such as A0380 in Medi-Cal, and Indiana does not cover T2005 at all.
- A stretcher van rider must be stable and need no medical monitoring on the way, or the trip belongs to an ambulance.
What T2005 and T2049 mean
CMS lists T2005 in the national HCPCS code set as “Non-emergency transportation; stretcher van.” It has been in the code set since April 1, 2002. Its partner, T2049, reads “Non-emergency transportation; stretcher van, mileage; per mile,” and was added on July 1, 2004. The October 2026 quarterly HCPCS file gives both codes coverage code I, which means Medicare does not pay them.
T2005 is the base charge: one unit for one trip. T2049 counts loaded miles: one unit for each mile with the rider on board. Because Medicare does not use these codes, there is no national rate. Each Medicaid program, health plan, or broker sets its own rate, modifiers, and rules. See NEMT billing codes for the full code list.
Who a stretcher van is for
A stretcher van carries a rider lying flat or reclined who is stable and needs no medical care on the way. Medi-Cal’s ground transportation manual, in a section last updated August 2020, says a litter van is right when a rider:
- must travel lying on the back or front because they cannot sit up for the length of the trip,
- needs special equipment or more space than a car, taxi, or public transit offers, and
- is stable, needs no constant observation, and does not need an ambulance’s services, equipment, or staff.
Its examples are a rider in a spica cast, a bed-bound rider, a stable rider after surgery who cannot sit up for the trip, and a rider on oxygen who needs no monitoring. MTM Health’s Virginia handbook, approved August 10, 2026, draws the same line: stretcher vans serve members who must lie down but need no medical monitoring, and they are distinct from ambulances. If the rider needs monitoring, bill an ambulance code instead.
What states pay for T2005
| Program | T2005 base rate | Mileage | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona AHCCCS fee-for-service | $49.09 in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, $86.70 elsewhere with the TN modifier | T2049: $1.54 per mile, $1.66 with TN | October 1, 2026 |
| South Dakota Medicaid | $109.66, plus $54.83 for each additional rider with TK | T2049: $2.61 per whole mile, only outside city limits | July 1, 2026 |
| Medi-Cal fee-for-service | $26.29, or $32.42 at night with UJ | A0380: $1.50 per mile | Rate page updated September 2023 |
| Illinois Medicaid | Paid separately for the stretcher on a medicar (wheelchair van) trip: $9.31 in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties, $11.64 elsewhere | No T2049 line. The medicar trip’s miles go on A0425. | January 1, 2026 |
| Indiana Medicaid fee-for-service | Not covered | T2049 not covered | Fee schedule updated June 9, 2026 |
Arizona counts a trip as rural when it starts outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas. Its manual says the higher rural rate reflects dirt roads, long distances, and few providers. Oregon’s provider guide, last updated December 22, 2025, also lists T2005 as its stretcher car or van code.
In Illinois, stretcher riders travel in a medicar. Its transportation handbook (March 11, 2024) covers a stretcher in a medicar when the rider does not need paramedics or EMTs, medical equipment and supplies, or drugs or oxygen given on the way. The handbook pays a medicar trip a base rate and loaded miles, and pays for the stretcher separately at the state’s maximum rate. On the January 1, 2026 fee schedule, that means the medicar base (A0130) of $30.00, mileage on A0425, and T2005 for the stretcher.
A provider that bills for a stretcher must meet the Illinois Department of Public Health stretcher van licensing rules in 77 Ill. Adm. Code 515.835 and 515.840. The fee schedule adds that every non-emergency ride needs prior approval.
Indiana is the exception. Its fee schedule lists T2005 and T2049 as non-covered. Since July 1, 2023, a fee-for-service member who needs a stretcher is scheduled directly with an enrolled ambulance provider, outside the state’s broker. See the Indiana state guide.
How T2005 and T2049 go on a claim
Arizona, rural trip. A stretcher van picks up a member outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas and drives 23 loaded miles to a clinic.
| Line | Code and modifier | Units | Amount at October 1, 2026 rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | T2005 TN | 1 | $86.70 |
| 2 | T2049 TN | 23 | 23 x $1.66 = $38.18 |
| Total | $124.88 |
Arizona denies any NEMT claim sent without its own Daily Trip Report form (manual revised July 31, 2026). When several members ride together, each member’s reported miles must be the most direct route between that member’s pickup and drop-off. Fee-for-service trips over 100 miles need prior authorization.
South Dakota, trip leaving town. A 30-mile trip leaves city limits after 8 miles. South Dakota pays mileage only from the point the trip leaves city limits, so 22 miles are billable: $109.66 plus 22 x $2.61 = $57.42, for $167.08 at July 1, 2026 rates.
Medi-Cal. Bill T2005 with a treatment authorization request, mileage on A0380, and the full pickup and drop-off addresses in box 19 of the CMS-1500. Trips between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. add the UJ modifier. A dry run, where the van arrives but the rider is not transported, bills T2005 with DS and QN. A transfer from an acute care hospital to a nursing facility (level A or B) bills T2005 with HN and QN at $26.29 and needs no treatment authorization request (rate page updated March 2024).
Your payer may also require an origin and destination modifier on each line. See NEMT origin and destination modifiers.
Vehicle rules brokers check for stretcher vans
Brokers set their own vehicle rules for stretcher vans. MTM Health’s Virginia handbook, approved August 10, 2026, requires:
- a stretcher that meets federal GSA KKK-A-1822E standards, with a non-porous mattress at least three inches thick and chest, hip, knee, and upper torso restraints with quick-release buckles,
- a crash-tested mount secured to the vehicle, with riders loaded headfirst,
- oxygen the rider gives themselves, secured to the Ambulance Manufacturers Division Standard 003 for oxygen tank retention,
- a scoop, Reeves, or stair chair stretcher when a rider needs one, and
- the company name on both sides, and no ambulance words, Star of Life, or emergency lights unless the company holds a Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services license.
The same handbook bars stretcher vans from emergency calls and from carrying anyone who needs basic or advanced life support.
Other states and brokers set their own lists. See stretcher van requirements.
Before you bill T2005
- Confirm the level of service. The trip authorization or broker trip record must say stretcher.
- Check the fee schedule. Make sure your state or broker pays T2005, and find its mileage code.
- Add the right modifiers. Rural, night, extra rider, and origin and destination modifiers change the payment.
- Bill loaded miles only. Count the direct route with the rider on board, the way your payer measures it.
- Keep the trip record. Pickup and drop-off addresses, times, miles, and the rider’s signature back up both lines.
Frequently asked questions
What is the mileage code that goes with T2005?
Often T2049, "Non-emergency transportation; stretcher van, mileage; per mile," which CMS added to the HCPCS code set on July 1, 2004. Arizona and South Dakota pay T2049 with T2005. Not every program does: Medi-Cal's fee-for-service rate page, last updated September 2023, pays litter van miles with A0380 at $1.50 per mile.
How much does Medicaid pay for a T2005 stretcher van trip?
Each program sets its own rate. As of October 1, 2026, Arizona pays $49.09 per trip in the Phoenix and Tucson areas and $86.70 elsewhere, plus $1.54 or $1.66 per mile on T2049. South Dakota pays $109.66 plus $2.61 per mile outside city limits, as of July 1, 2026. Medi-Cal fee-for-service pays $26.29, or $32.42 at night, plus $1.50 per mile on A0380. Broker and health plan contracts set their own rates.
Does Medicare pay the T2005 billing code?
No. The CMS HCPCS file gives both T2005 and T2049 coverage code I, which means not payable by Medicare. Stretcher van trips are paid by state Medicaid programs and the health plans and brokers that work for them, each under its own fee schedule or contract.
Who qualifies for a stretcher van instead of an ambulance?
A rider who must travel lying down but is stable and does not need medical monitoring. Medi-Cal's manual gives examples: a rider in a spica cast, a bed-bound rider, a stable rider after surgery who cannot sit up for the whole trip, and a rider on oxygen who needs no monitoring. A rider who needs monitoring or care on the way needs an ambulance.
Can I bill for a second rider on a stretcher van?
Only where your program pays for it. South Dakota pays T2005 with the TK modifier at $54.83 for each additional rider, as of July 1, 2026, and allows only one mileage charge per trip no matter how many riders are on board. Check your fee schedule or broker contract before you carry two riders on one stretcher trip.
Does a T2005 trip need prior authorization?
It depends on the payer. Medi-Cal requires a treatment authorization request for litter van trips. Arizona requires prior authorization for fee-for-service NEMT trips over 100 miles, one way or round trip, and none for shorter trips. Illinois requires prior approval for every non-emergency ride. Broker trips need the broker's trip number before you drive.