E020C – ASA E - emergency surgery
OHIP Surgical Assists Code — GENERAL PREAMBLE · Schedule of Benefits
An additional 4 units are payable to the anaesthesiologist for administering anaesthesia to a patient for emergency surgery. This premium applies when the surgery commences within 24 hours of the operating room booking and is added to the fee for an anaesthetic service for a patient with ASA Physical Status Classification III (E022C), IV (E017C), or V (E016C).
When to Use
- Use E020C when performing emergency surgery on an ASA III patient alongside E022C, provided the surgery starts within 24 hours of the booking.
- Apply this premium when managing an ASA IV or V patient for urgent procedures that meet the 24-hour booking window, in conjunction with E017C or E016C respectively.
Common Pitfalls
- Billing E020C for organ donation cases is a common audit trigger and will result in automatic rejection.
- Attempting to claim E020C for ASA I or II patients is invalid, as the premium is strictly restricted to ASA III, IV, and V classifications.
- Failing to ensure the surgery commences within the 24-hour window from the OR booking time will lead to claim rejection, even if the case is clinically urgent.
Billing Tips
- Always link E020C to the corresponding ASA base code (E022C, E017C, or E016C) on the same claim to ensure the premium is processed correctly.
No fee information available.
GP. General Preamble
GENERAL PREAMBLE
Premium
Anaesthesiologists' Services
The ASA level for Physical Status Classification must be determined by the anaesthesiologist at the time of the pre-operative anaesthesia assessment.
In the description of E022C, E016C, E017C and E020C, reference to ASA level for Physical Status Classification means the level determined by the anaesthesiologist at the time of the pre-operative anaesthesia assessment.
E016C, E017C and E020C are not eligible for payment when anaesthesia is rendered to a brain dead patient for organ donations.
Ready to bill this code?
SnapBill makes OHIP billing simple — auto-filled codes, validation, and batch submission.