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E002C
E002C – Hypothermia used by anaesthesiologist
OHIP Surgical Assists Code — GENERAL PREAMBLE · Schedule of Benefits
When hypothermia is used by the anaesthesiologist in procedures not specifically identified as requiring hypothermia, the listed basic units for that procedure are replaced with 25 units. This code represents that replacement value. The total anaesthetic fee is calculated by adding these basic units to the applicable time units and multiplying by the anaesthesiologist unit fee. This service must be billed with the suffix 'C'.
When to Use
- Use E002C when performing induced hypothermia for neurosurgical or cardiac procedures where the specific procedure code does not already mandate or include hypothermia units.
- Apply this code to replace the standard basic units with 25 units when the clinical requirement for hypothermia is documented as a planned component of the anaesthetic management.
Common Pitfalls
- Do not bill E002C if the procedure code already includes hypothermia in its base unit calculation, as this will lead to a rejection or recovery during audit.
- Failing to document the specific clinical indication for hypothermia in the anaesthesia record is a common audit risk, as it must be justified as a deliberate anaesthetic technique.
Billing Tips
- Ensure E002C is billed with the suffix 'C' and verify that the total units are calculated by adding exactly 25 basic units to your total time units before multiplying by the unit fee.
- Remember that E002C replaces the procedure's original basic units entirely; do not add 25 units on top of the existing basic units.
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