What is OHIP billing code J021?

J021 is "Insertion of catheter and injection", an OHIP Cardio-Thoracic Surgery code from the Ontario Schedule of Benefits (Physician Services).

How much does J021 pay?

The current OHIP fee for J021 is $186.05, effective 2026-04-01, per the Ontario Schedule of Benefits.

How do I bill J021 to OHIP?

J021 is submitted through OHIP's MCEDT claims system, either directly or via billing software. SnapBill validates J021 claims against the Schedule of Benefits rules before submission.

What codes are related to J021?

Codes related to J021 in the Schedule of Benefits include J022, J014, J025, N107, N118.

All codes

J021

J021 – Insertion of catheter and injection

OHIP Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Code — CLINICAL PROCEDURES ASSOCIATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS · Schedule of Benefits

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By catheterization - abdominal, thoracic, cervical or cranial: insertion of catheter (including cut down, if necessary) and injection, if given.

When to Use

Use J021 as the base fee for the initial insertion of a catheter into an abdominal, thoracic, cervical, or cranial vessel for diagnostic radiological purposes.
Use J021 when performing a cut-down procedure to gain vascular access for catheterization if percutaneous entry is not feasible.
Use J021 to bill for the catheter insertion component when subsequent selective catheterization (J022 or J014) is performed during the same session.

Common Pitfalls

Claiming J021 in addition to cardiac catheterization procedures (Z439 to G288) will result in a rejection, as these are restricted.
Billing J021 with J025 (transluminal angioplasty) when the patient's anatomy is known is prohibited; if anatomy is unknown, both must be reduced to 50% of their respective fees.
Attempting to bill J021 as a standalone service when it is intended to be the base fee for selective catheterization (J022) can lead to audit scrutiny if the documentation does not support the initial insertion.

Billing Tips

Always append selective catheterization codes (J022 or J014) to J021 to ensure you are compensated for the additional manipulation of the catheter into branch tributaries.
Ensure the procedural report explicitly documents the vessel of introduction and the specific anatomical site of the catheter tip to justify the use of J021 and any associated selective add-on codes.

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Provider Fee$186.05

Anaesthetist Fee$95.76

Non-Anaesthetist Fee$95.76

Effective: April 1, 2026

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