B987 – Geriatric Home Visit - First person seen - Sacrifice of Office Hours
OHIP Paediatrics Code — GENERAL PREAMBLE · Schedule of Benefits
B987 is a special visit premium for the first person seen during a non-elective geriatric home visit rendered with sacrifice of office hours. As per , a special visit is a visit initiated by a patient or an individual on behalf of the patient for the purpose of rendering a non-elective service. Sacrifice of office hours means an insured service rendered when the demands of the patient and/or the patient's condition are such that the physician makes a previously unscheduled non-elective visit to the patient at a time when the physician had an office visit booked with one or more patients but, because of the previously unscheduled non-elective visit, any such office visit was delayed or cancelled. This premium is part of the "Geriatric Home Visit" category (Special Visit Premium Table X) and is subject to specific conditions as outlined on : - It is only eligible for payment to a specialist in Geriatrics (specialty 07). - It is also payable to a physician with an exemption to access bonus impact in Care of the Elderly from the Ministry of Health. The time of the visit must be recorded in the patient's medical record. Claims must be submitted with an appropriate A-prefix assessment code. This premium is for the first person seen only, regardless of the number of patients seen at a single location.
When to Use
- B987 is appropriate when a Geriatrics specialist (specialty 07) makes an unscheduled, non-elective home visit to a patient, causing a delay or cancellation of their scheduled office hours.
- This premium can be billed by a physician with a Ministry of Health exemption for Care of the Elderly bonus impact, provided they meet the criteria for a non-elective geriatric home visit and sacrifice of office hours.
- Use B987 for the first patient encountered during a single home visit, even if multiple patients are seen at that location, provided the other conditions are met.
Common Pitfalls
- Billing B987 for routine home visits or when office hours were not impacted or cancelled is a common error leading to claim rejection.
- Failure to document the exact time of the special visit in the patient's medical record will result in claim denial.
- Submitting B987 for subsequent patients seen at the same location during a single home visit is incorrect; only the first patient is eligible for this premium.
Billing Tips
- Always submit B987 with an appropriate A-prefix assessment code to indicate the primary service rendered during the special visit.
- Ensure the patient's condition necessitated a non-elective visit and that the physician had scheduled office appointments that were subsequently disrupted.
Effective: April 1, 2026
GP. General Preamble
GENERAL PREAMBLE
Premium
Special Visit Premiums (Table X - Geriatric Home Visit)
The time at which the special visit takes place must be documented on the medical record.
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