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The HCPCS Level II code for a bath or shower chair is E0240, described in the CMS October 2026 file as “Bath/shower chair, with or without wheels, any size.” A tub stool or bench, a transfer bench and a commode chair each have their own, different codes, so the code follows the descriptor, not the product name on the box.
This page describes products and general use; it is not medical advice.
Who this is for: clinic staff, equipment buyers and students who need to match a bath-safety product to the right HCPCS descriptor, and who need to know what the code does and does not tell them.
What is the HCPCS code for a shower chair?
E0240. The CMS long descriptor is “Bath/shower chair, with or without wheels, any size.” The descriptor names no brand, material, size or feature beyond wheels. Source: CMS HCPCS Level II Alpha-Numeric file, October 2026 (updated 09/23/2026).
Shower chair, tub bench, transfer bench and commode chair: code table
All descriptors below are quoted from the CMS October 2026 Alpha-Numeric HCPCS file. The last column is the file’s own “HCPCS Coverage Code” for the entry, with the key given after the table.
| Code | CMS long descriptor | File coverage code |
|---|---|---|
| E0240 | Bath/shower chair, with or without wheels, any size | M |
| E0245 | Tub stool or bench | M |
| E0247 | Transfer bench for tub or toilet with or without commode opening | D |
| E0248 | Transfer bench, heavy duty, for tub or toilet with or without commode opening | D |
| E0163 | Commode chair, mobile or stationary, with fixed arms | D |
| E0165 | Commode chair, mobile or stationary, with detachable arms | D |
| E0168 | Commode chair, extra wide and/or heavy duty, stationary or mobile, with or without arms, any type, each | C |
| E0162 | Sitz bath chair | D |
Key from the CMS record layout (field 16): C = carrier judgment; D = special coverage instructions apply; I = not payable by Medicare; M = non-covered by Medicare; S = non-covered by Medicare statute. As listed in the October 2026 file, E0240 and E0245 carry M, and the transfer benches E0247 and E0248 carry D. This page does not explain the reasons behind those letters or any payer’s rules.
Other bath-area codes in the same range
The same file lists E0241 (Bath tub wall rail, each), E0242 (Bath tub rail, floor base), E0243 (Toilet rail, each), E0244 (Raised toilet seat) and E0246 (Transfer tub rail attachment). E1399, “Durable medical equipment, miscellaneous,” is the general code for durable medical equipment that has no specific descriptor.
How to read a HCPCS Level II code
CMS describes HCPCS Level II as alpha-numeric codes, one letter followed by four digits, used mainly for products, supplies and services that CPT does not cover, such as ambulance services and durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS). CMS maintains the codes, including additions, revisions and deletions, and publishes quarterly update files; a January 2027 update file has been announced. Because descriptors change, check the current quarterly file rather than a cached list. For the difference between the two code sets, see HCPCS vs CPT codes.
The DME PDAC, run by Palmetto GBA as the Medicare contractor for pricing, data analysis and coding of HCPCS Level II DMEPOS codes, is the body named for DMEPOS coding questions.
What counts as durable medical equipment
The CMS Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, section 110.1 (Rev. 13889, issued 07-30-26) says an item is durable “if it can withstand repeated use, i.e., the type of item that could normally be rented,” and that medical equipment is “equipment primarily and customarily used for medical purposes and is not generally useful in the absence of illness or injury.” Medicare.gov lists the DME criteria as durable, used for a medical reason, typically only useful to someone who is sick or injured, used in the home, and expected to last at least 3 years, and names commode chairs among its examples. Neither source names shower chairs, so this page does not state how either classifies them. For how rental and purchase work for home equipment generally, see renting versus buying home medical equipment.
Choosing the right code
The only criteria this page can source are the descriptor words themselves:
- “Bath/shower chair, with or without wheels, any size” (E0240) covers a chair with or without wheels, of any size.
- “Tub stool or bench” (E0245) is a separate descriptor from E0240.
- “Transfer bench … for tub or toilet with or without commode opening” (E0247) and its “heavy duty” counterpart (E0248) are separate from both.
- Commode chairs (E0163, E0165, E0168) are a different family; see what a bedside commode is.
- An item with no matching descriptor is a question for the coding authority, not a reason to stretch a nearby code.
For the physical dimensions of shower seats in accessible design, which is a different question from coding, see ADA shower seat requirements.
Common mistakes
- Treating a marketing name as the code. A product sold as a “shower stool” may or may not match the E0245 descriptor; the descriptor decides.
- Using a transfer bench code for a chair, or the reverse. E0240 and E0247 are different descriptors.
- Reading the file’s coverage letter as a guarantee about any individual claim. It is the letter CMS lists for the code in that quarterly file.
- Relying on an old list. Codes and descriptors are revised through the quarterly updates.
FAQ
Is E0240 the code for a shower chair?
Yes. E0240 is “Bath/shower chair, with or without wheels, any size” in the CMS October 2026 HCPCS Level II file.
Is a tub bench the same code as a shower chair?
No. A tub stool or bench is E0245, a separate entry from E0240.
What is the code for a transfer bench?
E0247, “Transfer bench for tub or toilet with or without commode opening,” and E0248 for the heavy duty version.
What do the coverage letters in the CMS file mean?
They are the file’s coverage codes: C carrier judgment, D special coverage instructions apply, I not payable by Medicare, M non-covered by Medicare, S non-covered by Medicare statute.
Who maintains HCPCS Level II codes?
CMS, which publishes quarterly update files.
Sources
- CMS, HCPCS Level II Alpha-Numeric file, October 2026 (updated 09/23/2026) and record layout: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/healthcare-common-procedure-system/quarterly-update (file: https://www.cms.gov/files/zip/october-2026-alpha-numeric-hcpcs-file.zip). Checked 2026-10-30.
- CMS, HCPCS overview: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coding-billing/healthcare-common-procedure-system. Checked 2026-10-30.
- CMS, Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 15, section 110.1: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Manuals/Downloads/bp102c15.pdf. Checked 2026-10-30.
- Medicare.gov, Durable medical equipment (DME) coverage: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/durable-medical-equipment-dme-coverage. Checked 2026-10-30.
- DME PDAC (Palmetto GBA): https://www.dmepdac.com/. Checked 2026-10-30.
