What is OHIP billing code C998?

C998 is "Special visit premium, first patient seen, weekdays evenings (17:00-24:00)", an OHIP Surgical Procedures code from the Ontario Schedule of Benefits (Physician Services).

How much does C998 pay?

The current OHIP fee for C998 is $0.00, effective 2026-04-01, per the Ontario Schedule of Benefits.

How do I bill C998 to OHIP?

C998 is submitted through OHIP's MCEDT claims system, either directly or via billing software. SnapBill validates C998 claims against the Schedule of Benefits rules before submission.

What codes are related to C998?

Codes related to C998 in the Schedule of Benefits include C988B, C983B, C999B, C985C, C999C.

All codes

C998

C998 – Special visit premium, first patient seen, weekdays evenings (17:00-24:00)

OHIP Surgical Procedures Code · Schedule of Benefits

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A special visit premium payable for the first patient seen during a special visit for non-elective services rendered on weekdays between 17:00 and 24:00. This code applies to surgical assistants (suffix B) and anaesthesiologists (suffix C). For anaesthesiologists, it also applies to non-elective surgery with sacrifice of office hours on weekdays.

When to Use

Use C998B when you are called in from outside the hospital to assist in a non-elective surgery between 17:00 and 24:00 on a weekday.
Use C998C for anaesthesiologists performing non-elective surgery during weekday evening hours or when a non-elective case forces the cancellation of scheduled office hours.

Common Pitfalls

Claiming C998 for patients seen during routine hospital rounds or while already present in the facility for other clinical duties will result in automatic rejection.
Billing C998 in conjunction with emergency department 'H' prefix codes is prohibited and will trigger an audit flag.
Failing to document the exact time of the special visit in the record is a frequent cause of clawbacks during post-payment reviews.

Billing Tips

Always pair C998 with the appropriate E400 or E401 after-hours procedure premium to maximize the total value of the non-elective service.
When claiming for sacrifice of office hours under C998C, ensure the medical record explicitly notes the specific scheduled office patient or clinic session that was displaced by the emergency surgery.

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Provider Fee$0.00

Surgical Assistant Fee$96.80

Anaesthetist Fee$60.00

Non-Anaesthetist Fee$60.00

Effective: April 1, 2026

Service Type

Special Visit Premium

Code Classes

Premium

C988BSpecial visit premium to assist at non-elective surgery with sacrifice of office hours - first patient seen C983BSpecial visit premium to assist - Saturdays, Sundays or Holidays, daytime and evenings (07:00h - 24:00h)C999BSpecial visit premium to assist - Nights (00:00h - 07:00h)C985CSpecial visit premium for anaesthesia - Saturdays, Sundays or Holidays (07:00h - 24:00h)C999CSpecial visit premium for anaesthesia - Nights (00:00h - 07:00h)

Travel premium is not eligible for travel within the same hospital complex, campus, or long-term care facility.

C998B is specifically for Weekdays (17:00-24:00).

C998C is for Weekdays (17:00-24:00) or Weekdays with Sacrifice of Office Hours.

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