R553 – Total hip replacement with take down of fusion
OHIP Radiology Code — MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM SURGICAL PROCEDURES · Schedule of Benefits
Total hip replacement with take down of fusion. This surgical procedure involves performing a total hip arthroplasty on a hip that has previously been fused (arthrodesis). The fee for this service is calculated based on basic units plus time units for both the anaesthesiologist and surgical assistant. - Anaesthesia (suffix C): 15 base units. - Surgical Assistant (suffix B): 8 base units.
When to Use
- Use R553 specifically for a total hip arthroplasty performed on a hip that has undergone a prior surgical arthrodesis (fusion).
- Do not use this code for a standard primary total hip replacement; use the appropriate standard arthroplasty codes instead.
Common Pitfalls
- Failure to correctly calculate and submit the time units in addition to the 15 base units for anaesthesia and 8 base units for the surgical assistant.
- Incorrectly billing R553 for a revision hip arthroplasty that did not involve the takedown of a formal fusion, which would be a different procedural code.
Billing Tips
- Ensure the surgical report explicitly documents the takedown of the fusion to support the use of this specific code over standard arthroplasty codes.
- When billing for the surgical assistant, remember that a second assistant is eligible without prior authorization and is calculated using the same base and time unit structure.
Effective: April 1, 2025
N. Musculoskeletal System Surgical Procedures
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM SURGICAL PROCEDURES
Surgical
Musculoskeletal System Surgical Procedures
The base units for Anaesthesia (Anae) are 15. The base units for a Surgical Assistant (Asst) are 8.
Ready to bill this code?
SnapBill makes OHIP billing simple — auto-filled codes, validation, and batch submission.