G656 – Professional component - 36 to 59 hours recording
OHIP Diagnostic & Therapeutic Procedures Code — DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES · Schedule of Benefits
G656 is the professional component for a continuous electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring service for a duration of 36 to 59 hours. This service falls under Level 2 monitoring, which applies to devices with fewer than three skin electrodes, or those that only record portions of the monitoring period, or do not provide trend analysis. A minimum of 12 hours of monitoring is required. The professional component includes the interpretation of the recorded data and the creation of a diagnostic report.
When to Use
- Use G656 when a Holter monitor or similar device records between 36 and 59 hours of continuous ECG data and the device qualifies as Level 2 monitoring.
- Select G656 instead of G653 when the recording duration exceeds the 24-hour threshold but remains under the 60-hour limit.
Common Pitfalls
- Billing G656 alongside G650, G653, or G657 for the same patient encounter will trigger an automatic rejection due to the mutual exclusivity of professional component codes.
- Failure to explicitly document the exact duration of the recording in the patient chart is a frequent cause of audit recovery, as the code is strictly tied to the 36-59 hour window.
Billing Tips
- Ensure the technical component is billed separately using the appropriate technical code, as G656 covers only the physician's professional interpretation and reporting.
Effective: April 1, 2025
J. Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures
DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC PROCEDURES
Diagnostic
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures
The medical record must document that the service was medically necessary as per .
The duration of the recording (36 to 59 hours) must be documented.
Maximum one professional component, one technical recording component and one technical scanning component per patient, per recording.
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