< Billing codes

Billing code

A174A — Vascular surgery partial assessment

Brief vascular surgery visit

A vascular surgeon bills A174 for a partial assessment: history of the presenting complaint, needed exam, advice and a record.

Watch for: Billed as virtual care only with an existing patient relationship and K300A or K301A.

Code

A174A

Description

Vascular surgery partial assessment

FHO+ basket

Not in the FHO+ base rate basket (Schedule 2 or 2B).

Effective date

Apr 1, 2026

Termination date

No end date

Explanation

Updated October 26, 2026

Limited visit by a vascular surgeon: history of the presenting complaint, needed exam, advice and record.

What it covers

A174 is the Vascular Surgery (17) general listing for a partial assessment (A208).

A partial assessment is the limited service of a history of the presenting complaint, the necessary physical exam, advice to the patient and an appropriate record (GP25).

Billing rules

• Specialists bill from the Consultations and Visits listing of their own specialty (GP9).
• When the major pre-operative visit was in the past 12 months, a partial assessment is the only assessment payable before a Z-code (IOP) procedure on the same day (SP4).
• Detention (K001) may start only after 30 minutes (GP29–GP31).
• Can be done by video or phone with an existing relationship; add K300A or K301A (AJ1, A66, A70).

Common rejections

• AT3: Billed as virtual care (K300A/K301A) and OHIP found no existing patient-physician relationship, such as an in-person service by you in the past 24 months (A66).

Related codes: A173, A175, A176, C174

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Consultations and Visits, Vascular Surgery (17), page A208.

APEX checks every paid claim against the Schedule of Benefits and flags codes billed below what the visit qualified for. See how APEX works · Pricing