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General information about billing codes, not medical advice. Whether a person needs, or is covered for, a particular wheelchair is decided by their clinicians and payer, not by this page.
Short answer
Wheelchair HCPCS codes are not one list. They fall into families: manual wheelchair bases (K0001 to K0009 plus E1161), transport chairs (E1037, E1038, E1039), power wheelchair groups (K0813 to K0891), and accessory codes such as E1028 and E1032 to E1034. Medicare ties several of the manual base codes to documented facts about the user, set out in a Medicare coverage policy (LCD L33788). A code on its own never establishes coverage.
Definition and scope
HCPCS Level II codes identify supplies and equipment for billing. For wheelchairs, the codes used by Medicare durable medical equipment suppliers sit mostly in the E and K ranges. How these codes differ from procedure coding is covered in HCPCS vs CPT codes, and the contractors that publish the wheelchair policies are explained in DME MACs. This page covers the wheelchair families only; for patient lifts see Hoyer lift HCPCS codes.
Code descriptors for many K codes are copyrighted by the AMA and need a license to reproduce, so this page uses the coverage policies’ own wording for each family and does not reprint official descriptors.
How the code families are used in practice
Manual wheelchair bases
The Medicare policy for manual wheelchair bases lists the codes for a manual wheelchair used inside the home as E1037, E1038, E1039, E1161, K0001, K0002, K0003, K0004, K0005, K0006, K0007, K0008 and K0009 (CMS Medicare Coverage Database, LCD L33788, revision for services on or after 2026-10-01). Two points about how these codes work:
- The policy says a manual wheelchair is covered for use in the home only if its listed criteria are met, plus one further criterion that concerns either the user’s own propulsion or the availability of a caregiver.
- A Noridian correct-coding article states that, for Medicare coding purposes, all manual wheelchair base codes describe a complete product: complete frame, propulsion wheels, casters, brakes, seat and back support, standard leg and footrests, armrests and safety accessories. A product that is incomplete is given no HCPCS code (Noridian JD DME, article posted 2014-02-14, revised 2016-04-14).
Power wheelchair groups
The Power Mobility Devices policy (LCD L33789) organises power wheelchair codes into groups, each a block of codes. Mobility scooters are handled in the same policy; see scooter vs power wheelchair for that comparison.
Types and related concepts: what the policies tie to each code
The table maps code families to the policy that governs them. It is a reference to documentation requirements, not a selection guide.
| Code or range | Family | What the policy says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| K0001 | Standard manual wheelchair | Named as the baseline; a transport chair is covered as an alternative to it when the stated criteria are met | L33788 |
| E1037, E1038, E1039 | Transport chair | Covered as an alternative to a standard manual wheelchair when criteria A to E and G are met | L33788 |
| K0003, K0004 | Lightweight; high strength lightweight | Each has its own documentation criteria in the policy | L33788 |
| K0005 | Ultralightweight | Requires a specialty evaluation by a licensed or certified professional and a supplier employing a RESNA-certified professional | L33788 |
| K0006, K0007 | Heavy duty; extra heavy duty | Listed in the manual base policy with their own criteria | L33788 |
| K0813 to K0816 | Power wheelchair, Group 1 | Listed as Group 1 | L33789 |
| K0820 to K0829 | Power wheelchair, Group 2 | Listed as Group 2; single power option K0835 to K0840 and multiple power options K0841 to K0843 are listed separately | L33789 |
| K0848 to K0864 | Power wheelchair, Group 3 | No options K0848 to K0855; power options K0856 to K0864 | L33789 |
| K0868 to K0886 | Power wheelchair, Group 4 | Group 4 codes (K0868 to K0871, K0877 to K0880, K0884 to K0886) are listed as denied for home use | L33789 |
| K0890, K0891 | Power wheelchair, Group 5 (pediatric) | Listed as Group 5 | L33789 |
| K0013, E0986 | Custom power base; power assist for a manual chair | Listed in the power mobility policy | L33789 |
The power mobility policy also sets basic criteria common to the power wheelchair groups; read them in the policy itself.
Accessory codes and the 2025 change
Accessories carry their own codes, and those codes get revised. A joint DME MAC article posted 2025-03-13 says that for dates of service on or after 2025-04-01, code E1028 was revised to cover manual swingaway, retractable or removable mounting hardware, and three new codes were added for mounting hardware: E1032 (for a joystick or other drive control interface), E1033 (for a cushioned headrest) and E1034 (for lateral trunk or hip support). E1032 to E1034 are capped rental items. Items already billed under E1028 in a capped rental period stay on E1028; the new codes apply only to new items dispensed on or after 2025-04-01 (Noridian JD DME article). For the accessories themselves, see wheelchair accessories.
Where it matters for suppliers and clinics
- A supplier documenting a K0005 chair is working against a policy that names a specialty evaluation and a RESNA-certified professional, so the documentation is part of the code. Supplier requirements more broadly are in DMEPOS supplier standards.
- Because base codes describe a complete product, a component sold or ordered separately does not automatically have a code of its own.
Common misunderstandings
- A code is not coverage. L33788 attaches criteria to the manual base codes; matching a code’s description is separate from meeting those criteria.
- Codes are stable. The 2025 E1028 revision and the three new accessory codes show they change; confirm against the current HCPCS file and the responsible DME MAC.
- Power groups are interchangeable. The power mobility policy lists Group 4 codes as denied for home use.
FAQ
What does a wheelchair HCPCS code identify?
A billing identity for a specific type of wheelchair base, power group or accessory, within the E and K ranges used by Medicare DME suppliers.
Which codes are manual wheelchairs?
Per LCD L33788: E1037, E1038, E1039, E1161 and K0001 to K0009 are the in-home manual wheelchair codes it lists.
Which codes are power wheelchairs?
Per LCD L33789, power wheelchairs fall in K0813 to K0891, split into Groups 1 to 5, with K0013 for a custom base and E0986 for a power assist system on a manual chair.
Do the codes change?
Yes. For dates of service on or after 2025-04-01, E1028 was revised and E1032 to E1034 were added, so check the current HCPCS file and the responsible DME MAC.
Does a wheelchair code mean Medicare covers the chair?
No. Coverage depends on the criteria in the applicable policy, not on the code alone.
Sources
- CMS Medicare Coverage Database, LCD L33788 Manual Wheelchair Bases, date checked 2026-10-30.
- CMS Medicare Coverage Database, LCD L33789 Power Mobility Devices, date checked 2026-10-30.
- Noridian JD DME, new HCPCS codes for wheelchair accessories, posted 2025-03-13, date checked 2026-10-30.
- Noridian JD DME, Manual Wheelchair Bases correct coding, revised 2016-04-14, date checked 2026-10-30.
