C988B – Special visit premium to assist at non-elective surgery with sacrifice of office hours - first patient seen
OHIP Surgical Procedures Code — GENERAL PREAMBLE · Schedule of Benefits
C988B is a special visit premium payable to a physician assisting at a non-elective surgery when the visit requires sacrifice of office hours. This premium is for the first patient seen during the visit. To be eligible, the physician must travel from one location to another to provide the service (see travel premium definition on ). Sacrifice of office hours means the physician must cancel or delay regularly scheduled office appointments for this unscheduled service (see ).
When to Use
- Use C988B when you are called in to assist on an emergency surgery during your scheduled office hours, requiring you to cancel or delay existing patient appointments.
- Use this code when you travel from your office to the hospital specifically to assist on a non-elective case, provided this is the first patient seen during that specific trip.
Common Pitfalls
- Billing C988B when you are already physically present in the hospital for other duties, as it requires travel from a different location and sacrifice of office hours.
- Confusing C988B with C998B; C988B is specifically for surgical assistance, whereas C998B is for non-surgical special visits.
- Failing to document the exact time the special visit occurred, which is a mandatory requirement for audit compliance under GP69.
Billing Tips
- Ensure you append the appropriate after-hours premium (E400B or E401B) to your surgical assistant fee if the case start time falls within the specified evening or night windows.
- Maintain a log of cancelled or delayed office appointments to substantiate the 'sacrifice of office hours' requirement in the event of a Ministry audit.
No fee information available.
GP. General Preamble
GENERAL PREAMBLE
Premium
Surgical Assistants' Services, Special Visit Premiums (Table III - Hospital In-Patient)
The time at which the special visit takes place must be documented on the medical record.
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