What is OHIP billing code C988?

C988 is "Special visit premium - assist at non-elective surgery - sacrifice of office hours - first patient seen", an OHIP Surgical Procedures code from the Ontario Schedule of Benefits (Physician Services).

How much does C988 pay?

The current OHIP fee for C988 is $0.00, effective 2025-04-01, per the Ontario Schedule of Benefits.

How do I bill C988 to OHIP?

C988 is submitted through OHIP's MCEDT claims system, either directly or via billing software. SnapBill validates C988 claims against the Schedule of Benefits rules before submission.

What codes are related to C988?

Codes related to C988 in the Schedule of Benefits include C998B, C983B, C999B.

All codes

C988

C988 – Special visit premium - assist at non-elective surgery - sacrifice of office hours - first patient seen

OHIP Surgical Procedures Code · Schedule of Benefits

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A special visit premium payable to a surgical assistant for the first patient seen during a non-elective surgical procedure that requires the physician to travel from one location to another and results in the sacrifice of previously scheduled office hours.

When to Use

Use C988B when you are called to assist on an emergency surgery that forces you to cancel or delay patients already booked in your office.
Apply this code when the surgical procedure is non-elective and requires travel from your office to the hospital, effectively interrupting your scheduled clinic flow.

Common Pitfalls

Billing C988B for elective surgeries or routine hospital rounds will result in automatic rejection, as it is strictly reserved for non-elective, unscheduled surgical assistance.
Attempting to claim C988B for subsequent patients seen during the same surgical visit is a common error; it is only payable for the first patient assisted.
Submitting C988B without ensuring the surgical procedure is non-elective fails the primary requirement, as elective procedures do not qualify for sacrifice of office hours premiums.

Billing Tips

Always pair C988B with the appropriate surgical assistant fee code for the procedure performed to ensure the base service is captured alongside the premium.
If the emergency surgery occurs during evenings, nights, or weekends, remember to add the applicable E400B or E401B premium to maximize your claim for the same surgical event.

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Provider Fee$0.00

Surgical Assistant Fee$76.40

Effective: April 1, 2025

Service Type

Surgical Assistant Special Visit

Code Classes

Premium

C998BSpecial visit premium - Weekdays Evenings (17:00-24:00)C983BSpecial visit premium - Saturdays, Sundays or Holidays (07:00-24:00)C999BSpecial visit premium - Nights (00:00-07:00)

Sacrifice of office hours is defined on page

Travel premium requirements are defined on page

C988B is only eligible for payment for the first patient seen on each special visit