2025 HCPCS code A0140
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Transportation - Non-emergency transportation Ambulance and Other Transport Services and Supplies Feed
Non-emergency air transport service (private or commercial) for medical purposes, intrastate or interstate.
Modifiers may apply depending on the payer and the specific circumstances of the transport.
Medical necessity is established by the physician's order, which should clearly state the reason why non-emergency air transport is the most appropriate and medically necessary mode of transportation.The medical records should support the physician's determination.
The clinical responsibility lies with the ordering physician who determines the medical necessity for the non-emergency transport. The transport company is responsible for the safe and timely transportation of the patient.
- Ambulance and Other Transport Services and Supplies
- A0021-A0999 (Non-emergency transportation and air travel)
In simple words: This code covers travel by plane (not an ambulance plane) for a medical appointment that isn't an emergency. It's used when someone needs to go to a doctor, hospital, or other medical facility that's far away. Medicare doesn't pay for this, but some other insurance companies might.
This HCPCS code represents a non-emergency transportation service utilizing a private or commercial air carrier for patient transport between locations for non-emergency medical reasons.The service encompasses intrastate and interstate travel. The patient typically travels to the nearest appropriate facility (hospital, critical access hospital, skilled nursing facility, dialysis center, or home) for necessary diagnostic or therapeutic services.Reimbursement may vary significantly depending on the payer; Medicare does not cover this service.
Example 1: A patient in a rural area needs to travel to a specialized cancer center in a distant city for chemotherapy.A private air ambulance is used for this non-emergency transport due to the distance and patient's condition., A patient requires a specialized organ transplant available only at a major medical center several states away.Private air transport is arranged for the non-emergency travel to the transplant facility., A patient with a rare condition needs a procedure performed at a hospital across the country.A commercial airline is used for the non-emergency transportation, requiring the use of A0140.
Documentation should include the medical necessity for the non-emergency transport, the patient's medical condition justifying the use of air travel, the distance traveled, the dates and times of transport, and the cost breakdown.
** Medicare does not reimburse for this service.Reimbursement by other payers will vary significantly. Accurate documentation of medical necessity is critical for successful claim processing.
- Payment Status: Variable; Medicare does not cover.
- Specialties:Various specialties may utilize this code, depending on the patient's condition and the nature of the medical procedure or care.
- Place of Service:This code is used for non-emergency transport between various locations, not necessarily limited to a specific place of service. It can span multiple places of service, such as from Home to Inpatient Hospital, or from Office to Outpatient Hospital.