Attendants in Medi-Cal
DHCS tells plans that NMT coverage includes the cost of one attendant, such as a parent, guardian or spouse, approved together with the first NMT authorization. Plans also cover necessary travel expenses for an accompanying attendant, and an attendant’s salary when the attendant is not a family member.
For minors, plans must provide transport for a parent or guardian. A minor can ride without one only with written consent from a parent or guardian, unless the law doesn’t require consent for the service the minor is going to.
Billing
Some payers pay a fee for each attendant on a leg; others pay nothing extra. T2001 is the HCPCS code for a non-emergency transport patient attendant or escort, and the Medi-Cal provider manual lists it among its non-emergency transportation codes. Check each payer’s contract.
What it means for the provider
An attendant needs a seat, so a van that fits the wheelchair may still be full. Book attendants on the trip, not in a note, so capacity and billing both count them.
Related terms
- NMT (non-medical transportation)Non-medical transportation (NMT) is a Medi-Cal ride by private or public vehicle for a member who has no other way to get to a covered appointment.
- Curb-to-curb, door-to-door and door-through-doorCurb-to-curb, door-to-door, door-through-door and hand-to-hand are service levels: they say how far the driver goes with the rider, from the vehicle only to handing them to a named person inside.
- Space type (level of service)Space type, also called level of service, says how a rider travels and so what room they take in a vehicle: ambulatory (a seat), wheelchair, stretcher or bariatric.
- Payer (funding source)The payer, also called the funding source, is whoever pays for a trip leg: a broker, a health plan directly, Medi-Cal fee-for-service, a facility, a workers’ compensation administrator or the rider.
Sources
Checked on . Rules change: check the current version with the payer before you bill.