Last updated: October 2026
A private-pay wheelchair transport round trip with H&M Transport costs $55 per leg, with 5 miles included on each leg and $3 a mile after that. A one-way ride, such as a hospital discharge, is $90 plus $3 a mile from the first mile. A 10-mile round trip comes to $140.
Those are our 2026 rates across Northern Virginia, Washington DC and Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland. If you are booking a ride rather than budgeting for one, go straight to our wheelchair transportation page; the full rate card and an estimator are on our rates page.
What does a wheelchair van ride cost?
Every trip is a pick-up fee plus mileage. The pick-up fee covers the van, the driver and the help at both ends; the mileage covers the distance.
| Trip | Pick-up fee | Miles included | Per mile after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round trip | $55 per leg | 5 per leg | $3.00 |
| One way or discharge | $90 | None | $3.00 |
| Bariatric round trip (300 lb+) | $100 per leg | 5 per leg | $3.00 |
| Bariatric one way (300 lb+) | $130 | None | $3.00 |
| Long distance (50+ miles) | $175 | None | $4.50 |
The long-distance fee replaces the standard pick-up fee rather than adding to it. The rates don’t change when a trip crosses into DC or into Montgomery or Prince George’s County, and we quote every trip before you book.
What do real trips cost?
A 10-mile round trip is $55 plus five extra miles at $3 on each leg: $70 each way, $140 in total. These examples use the same math (examples, not quotes):
| Example trip | Cost |
|---|---|
| Round trip, under 5 miles each way: Lake Ridge to Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center | $110 |
| Round trip, about 9 miles each way: Heritage Hunt to UVA Health Prince William Medical Center | $134 |
| Discharge, about 8 miles: Inova Fairfax Hospital to Burke Centre | $114 |
| Round trip, 10 miles each way | $140 |
| One way, 10 miles | $120 |
| One way, 70 miles (long distance) | $490 |
What adds to the price?
Add-ons are named up front:
- Stair chair team: $75 each way, when the rider has to be carried up or down steps.
- Early or late pickups: $30 before 7am or after 6pm.
- Prescheduled wait time: $75 an hour.
- An extra stop, such as the pharmacy on the way home: $20.
- Oxygen: $35 per 2-liter tank, or bring your own portable unit.
- Card payments: a 3% fee. We take cash or card, not personal checks.
- Late cancellation or no-show: $50. Changing or cancelling more than 2 hours before pickup costs nothing.
What doesn’t cost extra: one family member or caregiver riding along, a loaner wheelchair if the rider doesn’t have a suitable one, and a service animal.
Is waiting or a will-call return better?
For a short visit, a driver booked to wait can be the quicker choice. For a long or unpredictable one, book the return as a will-call so you don’t pay for wait time: a driver arrives within 45 minutes of your call, and calling a little before the visit wraps up shortens the wait. Dialysis and other recurring treatments run best as a standing order with will-call returns.
Who pays for wheelchair transport?
- Virginia Medicaid. Covered rides to medical appointments cost the member nothing. Call the transportation number on your Medicaid ID card; the brokers we work with are MTM Health and SafeRide Health. Request H&M Transport specifically when you book your ride. More on our Virginia Medicaid transportation page.
- DC and Maryland Medicaid. In DC we serve UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of the District of Columbia members through SafeRide Health. We are not a Maryland Medicaid provider.
- Original Medicare doesn’t pay for wheelchair vans. It covers a non-emergency ambulance only when it is medically necessary and ordered in writing, and you then pay 20% after the Part B deductible (Medicare.gov). More in does Medicare cover wheelchair transportation?
- Medicare Advantage plans sometimes include rides, usually a set number of trips a year. Call member services on your plan card and ask whether wheelchair vans are covered; if the plan’s rides run through MTM Health or SafeRide Health, request H&M Transport by name.
- Private pay needs no doctor’s order. Rides primarily for, and essential to, medical care can count as medical expenses for tax purposes (IRS Publication 502); ask us for an itemized receipt.
- Veterans book with us as private pay; we are not a VA travel vendor.
- Hospitals, nursing facilities and dialysis centers book on contracted rates.
How can you keep the cost down?
- Book a round trip, not two one-way rides. A 10-mile round trip is $140; two 10-mile one-way rides are $240.
- Book 24 hours ahead to guarantee a van. Same-day rides need at least 3 hours’ notice.
- Schedule between 7am and 6pm to skip the $30 early or late fee.
- Mention steps, oxygen and the rider’s chair when you book, so the right crew and van arrive.
- Cancel or change more than 2 hours before pickup to avoid the $50 fee.
- Check Medicaid or Medicare Advantage coverage first.
How H&M handles pricing
We publish the rate card instead of holding it back for a phone call, quote each trip before you book, and confirm by call or text within 2 hours of booking. Every driver is CPR and first-aid certified, our 80+ wheelchair vans are 2018 or newer, and dispatch answers any hour.
Common questions
Is wheelchair transport cheaper than an ambulance?
For a rider who doesn’t need medical care on the way, yes. A 10-mile one-way wheelchair ride is $120, while a 10-mile non-emergency ambulance trip in the DC area has a Medicare-approved amount of about $420 (see our cost index).
Do you charge for the companion or the wheelchair?
No. One family member or caregiver can ride along at no extra charge, and if the rider doesn’t have a suitable wheelchair, we bring one at no extra cost.
Does the price change for DC or Maryland?
No. A trip into Washington DC or Montgomery or Prince George’s County costs the same as one inside Northern Virginia.
How do I get an exact price?
Call dispatch at (703) 304-7889 with both addresses and the rider’s needs, or use the estimator on our rates page. We quote every trip before you book.
Call dispatch at (703) 304-7889, any hour, or book online.
