E632 – Bronchoscopy with removal of foreign body
OHIP Surgical Assists Code — RESPIRATORY SURGICAL PROCEDURES · Schedule of Benefits
This is an add-on premium payable in addition to the fee for flexible or rigid bronchoscopy (`Z327). This premium applies when the bronchoscopy procedure includes the removal of a foreign body. The base procedure Z327` has specific billing rules outlined in the preamble to the Respiratory Surgical Procedures section on page :638 of the Schedule, including:
- When bronchoscopy is performed with laryngoscopy or oesophagoscopy, only bronchoscopy is payable.
- Bronchoscopy is not payable if performed by the same surgeon immediately after thoracic surgery under the same anaesthetic.
- Bronchoscopy is not payable on the same day as a major lung resection if a bronchoscopy was performed by the same physician within the preceding 3 weeks.
When to Use
- Use E632 when performing a flexible or rigid bronchoscopy (Z327) specifically to retrieve an aspirated foreign body from the airway.
- Apply this code when the primary clinical objective of the procedure is the extraction of an object, distinguishing it from diagnostic bronchoscopy or simple suctioning.
Common Pitfalls
- Billing E632 without a corresponding Z327 claim will result in an automatic rejection, as it is a dependent add-on premium.
- Attempting to bill E632 alongside other respiratory surgical premiums (such as E633 or E634) for the same procedure may trigger a rejection if the Schedule restricts concurrent billing for these specific procedural add-ons.
- Failure to document the specific nature and location of the foreign body in the operative report is a common audit trigger for this premium.
Billing Tips
- Ensure the claim includes both the base procedure Z327 and the premium E632 on the same claim submission to maintain the required linkage.
- If the patient is under 16 years of age, remember to apply the appropriate age-based surgical premium to the total fee, as E632 is considered part of the surgical procedure fee.
Ready to bill this code?
SnapBill makes OHIP billing simple — auto-filled codes, validation, and batch submission.