Who qualifies in Medi-Cal
Under the DHCS rules, wheelchair van transport is covered when the member doesn’t need a litter van but their condition means any of: they can’t sit in a private car, taxi or public transport for the length of the trip; they must ride in a wheelchair or be helped to and from home, vehicle and place of treatment because of a disabling physical or mental limitation; or they need safety equipment beyond what ordinary vehicles carry.
With a signed PCS form, members with severe mental confusion, paraplegia, dialysis recipients and members with chronic conditions who need oxygen but not monitoring may qualify.
Billing codes
The Medi-Cal provider manual lists HCPCS A0130 for the wheelchair van and A0380 for its mileage (which is also used for litter vans). See Medi-Cal NEMT billing codes for the modifiers.
Vehicle requirements
Since March 27, 2025, an application to enroll as a Medi-Cal NEMT provider for litter or wheelchair vans must include a Vehicle Safety Systems Inspection (VSSI) certificate from the Bureau of Automotive Repair; DHCS no longer accepts the old brake and light certificate. Brokers and plans run their own vehicle inspections on top of that.
Going deeper: Wheelchair, ambulatory and stretcher trips: space types and what each needs from dispatch and billing
Related terms
- 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.
- Litter van (gurney or stretcher van)A litter van, also called a gurney or stretcher van, carries a rider lying flat on a stretcher who needs no medical care on the way.
- Medi-Cal NEMT billing codes (HCPCS)HCPCS codes are the billing codes for each service on a claim.
- Pre-trip inspection (DVIR)A pre-trip inspection is the driver’s check of the vehicle before the first trip of the day, recorded as a driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR).
- Physician Certification Statement (PCS form)A Physician Certification Statement (PCS) is the form a member’s provider signs to prescribe NEMT.
Sources
Checked on . Rules change: check the current version with the payer before you bill.