What is OHIP billing code N546?

N546 is "Open vertebral biopsy - posterior approach", an OHIP Otolaryngology code from the Ontario Schedule of Benefits (Physician Services).

How much does N546 pay?

The current OHIP fee for N546 is $244.80, effective 2025-04-01, per the Ontario Schedule of Benefits.

How do I bill N546 to OHIP?

N546 is submitted through OHIP's MCEDT claims system, either directly or via billing software. SnapBill validates N546 claims against the Schedule of Benefits rules before submission.

What codes are related to N546?

Codes related to N546 in the Schedule of Benefits include Z940, N547, N551, N552.

All codes

N546

N546 – Open vertebral biopsy - posterior approach

OHIP Otolaryngology Code — SPINAL SURGICAL PROCEDURES · Schedule of Benefits

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Performs an open vertebral biopsy using a posterior approach. This service is billed as the sole procedure. The fee for this service is for the surgeon (suffix A). Separate calculations apply for anaesthesia (suffix C) and surgical assistant (suffix B) services. - Surgical Assistant (B): The fee is calculated based on 6 basic units plus time units as described on -. - Anaesthesia (C): The fee is calculated based on 7 basic units plus time units as described on -.

When to Use

Use N546 for an open biopsy of a vertebral body specifically via a posterior approach when no other spinal surgical procedures are performed during the same operative session.
Select N546 when the procedure is limited to the biopsy itself, as it is strictly defined as a sole procedure code within the Spinal Surgical Procedures section.

Common Pitfalls

Billing N546 alongside any other procedure in the Spinal Surgical Procedures section will trigger an automatic rejection due to the restrictive billing rules for this category.
Attempting to bill N546 in conjunction with N547, N551, or N552 is prohibited, as these codes are mutually exclusive for the same operative session.

Billing Tips

Ensure that the surgical assistant and anaesthetist bill their respective services (suffixes B and C) separately using the specific unit calculations defined in the General Preamble, as these are not included in the N546 fee.
If the procedure is performed on a patient under 16 years of age or meets trauma criteria, ensure the appropriate age premium or trauma premium (E420) is applied to the surgeon, assistant, and anaesthetist fees to maximize the claim value.

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Provider Fee$244.80

Surgical Assistant Fee$75.06

Anaesthetist Fee$108.43

Non-Anaesthetist Fee$108.43

Effective: April 1, 2025

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