S9961 — Ambulance service, conventional air service, nonemergency transport, one way (rotary wing)
S9961 is a HCPCS Level II code for ambulance service, conventional air service, nonemergency transport, one way (rotary wing). It belongs to the Temporary National Codes (Non-Medicare) section. Medicare does not pay it — see the coverage note below before you bill it.
Medicare coverage: Not payable by Medicare
Medicare does not pay this code. It may still be valid for another payer, but a Medicare claim carrying it will not be reimbursed.
From the coverage field of the CMS Alpha-Numeric HCPCS File, release 2026Q3-Jul. This states Medicare’s position on the code, not on your particular claim.
Physician fee schedule statusI
Not valid for Medicare purposes. Medicare uses another code.
Global period: XXX
Want the dollar amount for your locality? The fee calculator applies your GPCI and the current conversion factor.
The CMS record for S9961
- Long descriptor
- Ambulance service, conventional air service, nonemergency transport, one way (rotary wing)
- Short descriptor
- Air ambulan nonemerg rotary
- Added
- January 1, 2014
- BETOS
- O1A
- Pricing indicator
- 00 — Not priced by Part B
The official wording. This is what the code means.
CMS's 28-character form, which is what shows up on a remittance advice.
When CMS introduced the code.
Berenson-Eggers Type of Service — CMS's own analytic grouping.
Service not separately priced by Part B — not covered, bundled into another service, or used by Part A only.
Codes adjacent to S9961
HCPCS has no hierarchy — related items simply sit next to each other in the numbering. If S9961 is not quite right, the correct code is very often within a few positions of it.
- S9560Home injectable therapy; hormonal therapy (e.g.; leuprolide, goserelin), including administrative services, professional pharmacy services, care coordination, and all necessary supplies and equipment (drugs and nursing visits coded separately), per diem
- S9562Home injectable therapy, palivizumab or other monoclonal antibody for rsv, including administrative services, professional pharmacy services, care coordination, and all necessary supplies and equipment (drugs and nursing visits coded separately), per diem
- S9563Home injectable therapy, immunotherapy, including administrative services, professional pharmacy services, care coordination, and all necessary supplies and equipment (drugs and nursing visits coded separately), per diem
- S9590Home therapy, irrigation therapy (e.g., sterile irrigation of an organ or anatomical cavity); including administrative services, professional pharmacy services, care coordination, and all necessary supplies and equipment (drugs and nursing visits coded separately), per diem
- S9810Home therapy; professional pharmacy services for provision of infusion, specialty drug administration, and/or disease state management, not otherwise classified, per hour (do not use this code with any per diem code)
- S9900Services by a journal-listed christian science practitioner for the purpose of healing, per diem
- S9901Services by a journal-listed christian science nurse, per hour
- S9960Ambulance service, conventional air service, nonemergency transport, one way (fixed wing)
- S9970Health club membership, annual
- S9975Transplant related lodging, meals and transportation, per diem
- S9976Lodging, per diem, not otherwise classified
- S9977Meals, per diem, not otherwise specified
- S9981Medical records copying fee, administrative
- S9982Medical records copying fee, per page
- S9986Not medically necessary service (patient is aware that service not medically necessary)
- S9988Services provided as part of a phase i clinical trial
Questions about S9961
What is HCPCS code S9961?
S9961 is a HCPCS Level II code for ambulance service, conventional air service, nonemergency transport, one way (rotary wing). It sits in the Temporary National Codes (Non-Medicare) section.
Does Medicare cover S9961?
The CMS HCPCS file marks S9961 as "Not payable by Medicare". Medicare does not pay this code. It may still be valid for another payer, but a Medicare claim carrying it will not be reimbursed.
How is S9961 paid under the physician fee schedule?
S9961 carries PFS status code I. Not valid for Medicare purposes. Medicare uses another code.