ProBasics Professional Aluminum Transport Chair with 12" Wheels

SKU: TCA191612BK  |  HCPCS Code: E1038  |  By ProBasics / Carex Health Brands

300 lb Capacity  |  20 lbs  |  12" Rear Wheels for Uneven Surfaces  |  Companion-Activated Hand Brakes  |  Folds Flat  |  Padded Nylon Seat  |  Swing-Away Footrests with Heel Loops  |  Seat Belt  |  HCPCS E1038  |  By ProBasics / Carex

The ProBasics Professional Transport Chair builds on the standard ProBasics aluminum transport chair platform with two targeted upgrades for more demanding environments and higher clinical safety requirements. Twelve-inch composite rear wheels with solid rubber tires roll over uneven surfaces, thresholds, and light outdoor terrain more effectively than 8-inch wheels. Companion-activated hand brakes — mounted on the caregiver's push handles — lock the rear wheels on demand, providing secure control during patient transfers, on inclined surfaces, and anywhere the caregiver needs to hold the chair stationary without stepping around to engage a separate wheel lock. Both upgrades increase the usability and safety envelope of a transport chair without adding weight — the Professional model remains 20 lbs with a 300 lb weight capacity. All standard features carry over from the base model: lightweight powder-coated aluminum frame, flared handles with quick back-release hinge for flat folding, padded full-length permanent armrests, padded nylon upholstery, tool-free swing-away composite footrests with heel loops, and included seat belt. HCPCS Code E1038 (transport chair with handbrakes). SKU TCA191612BK.

Specifications

Looking for the standard model without hand brakes? See the ProBasics Aluminum Transport Chair TCA1916BL. Questions about which model is right for your patient? Call 1-866-218-0902

Key Features

• Companion-activated hand brakes — brake levers mounted on the caregiver's push handles; squeezing the levers locks the rear wheels on demand; the caregiver can halt the chair, hold it on a slope, or stabilize it during a transfer without walking around to a separate wheel lock or releasing the push handles
• 12" composite rear wheels with solid rubber tires — larger diameter provides better rollover ability on uneven surfaces, thresholds, expansion joints, curb cuts, and light outdoor terrain; solid rubber construction is flat-free and maintenance-free
• HCPCS Code E1038 — the HCPCS code for a transport chair with handbrakes; relevant for Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance reimbursement documentation
• Flared handles with quick back-release hinge — the same flat-fold system as the standard model; the hand brake levers are integrated into the flared handles without obstructing the fold
• Powder-coated aluminum frame at 20 lbs — lightweight and durable; powder coat provides corrosion resistance and a cleaner finish than bare aluminum
• Padded nylon upholstery — breathable, comfortable, and easy to wipe clean
• Padded full-length permanent armrests — desk-length style for close seating at tables
• Tool-free swing-away composite footrests with heel loops — detachable without tools for easy transfers; heel loops prevent foot slide during transport
• Seat belt included — additional safety for users who may shift or lean
• Nylon seat straps — assist with folding and lifting the folded chair
• By ProBasics / Carex Health Brands, a division of Drive Medical

Clinical FAQs

What are companion-activated hand brakes and how do they improve safety over standard wheel locks?

Standard transport chair wheel locks are push-to-lock tabs positioned at the rear wheels — the caregiver must reach down or step to the side to engage them. This requires either stopping the chair first, stepping around it, or awkwardly leaning over while maintaining control of the patient. Companion-activated hand brakes on the Professional model are mounted directly on the push handles as squeeze-lever brakes — the caregiver applies braking pressure by squeezing the levers with their hands while already in the pushing position, without releasing the handles or stepping away from the chair. This provides several safety advantages. During transfers — helping a patient into or out of the chair — the caregiver can lock the rear wheels by squeezing the hand brakes while maintaining a hand position ready to assist the patient, rather than bending to engage a wheel lock. On inclined surfaces — driveways, ramps, hospital corridors with slight grades — the hand brakes provide proportional braking control to slow descent rather than the binary lock/unlock of push-to-lock tabs. When navigating crowded spaces, the caregiver can tap-brake through congestion rather than making a full stop to engage a tab lock. For caregivers managing physically demanding patient transfers or moving patients in settings with varied terrain, the hand brake design closes a genuine gap in the standard wheel lock system.

What do the 12" rear wheels add over the 8" wheels on the standard ProBasics transport chair?

Wheel diameter affects a wheeled device's ability to roll over obstacles and surface variations. A larger wheel, for a given forward speed, approaches a surface irregularity at a less steep effective angle — meaning the wheel climbs over the obstacle more easily rather than catching on it. In practical transport chair use, the 12-inch rear wheels of the Professional model handle thresholds at doorways, expansion joints in sidewalks, curb cut lips, and transitions between surface types (carpet to hard floor, indoor to outdoor) with significantly less jarring and resistance than the 8-inch wheels on the standard model. For patients who will primarily be transported in indoor environments with smooth, consistent floors, the performance difference between 8-inch and 12-inch wheels is modest. For patients who will regularly be transported across varied terrain — moving from a home with mixed floor surfaces to a vehicle to an outdoor paved area and back — the 12-inch wheels reduce the physical effort on the caregiver and the jarring on the patient at each surface transition. The 12-inch solid rubber composite wheels remain maintenance-free with no inflation required, and they maintain the same lightweight composite construction as the standard model's wheels.

What is HCPCS Code E1038 and does Medicare cover transport chairs?

HCPCS (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System) codes are the standardized billing codes used by Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance plans to identify durable medical equipment (DME) for reimbursement purposes. HCPCS Code E1038 specifically designates a transport chair with handbrakes — the coding distinction that separates the Professional model from the standard transport chair, which would typically use E1037 (transport chair without handbrakes). Whether Medicare or a specific insurance plan will cover a transport chair under these codes depends on the patient's diagnosis, medical necessity documentation, physician order, and the specific plan's coverage policies. Medicare typically covers DME at 80% of the approved amount after the deductible when the item is deemed medically necessary and ordered by a physician for a qualifying diagnosis. The HCPCS E1038 code on the Professional model is the documentation reference for the hand brake feature that may be specified in a physician's order when hand brakes are deemed medically necessary for a specific patient. Medical Department Store recommends consulting with the prescribing physician, a DME supplier specialist, and the patient's insurance plan to confirm coverage eligibility before purchase. Our team is available to assist: 1-866-218-0902, Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–3pm EST. Prescription fax: (941) 488-0011.

Questions about the ProBasics Professional Transport Chair, hand brake features, HCPCS E1038 coverage, or comparison with the standard TCA1916BL? Call our product specialists: 1-866-218-0902  |  Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–3pm EST  |  Prescription Fax: (941) 488-0011