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Billing code

C245A — Otolaryngology in-patient consultation

Otolaryngology in-patient consultation

Bill when an otolaryngologist consults on a non-emergency hospital in-patient at the written request of another physician.

Watch for: Include the referrer's billing number from the signed written request, or it is refused or paid as a lesser assessment.

Code

C245A

Description

Otolaryngology in-patient consultation

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

Consultation by an otolaryngologist for a hospital in-patient (non-emergency), at the written request of another physician.

What it covers

C245 is the consultation for a non-emergency hospital in-patient by an otolaryngologist (A166). It has the same elements as any consultation: a written request, the appropriate assessment and a written report (GP16).

When the consultant admits a patient not assessed for the same illness in the past 90 days, the admission assessment can be a consultation (GP40).

Billing rules

• Specialists bill from the Consultations and Visits listing of their own specialty (GP9).
• Needs a written, signed request from a physician, nurse practitioner or (hospital dental) dental surgeon naming you or the specialty, the referrer and billing number, and the patient and health number, kept in your chart. Otherwise it pays as a lesser assessment (GP16).
• Limit: one consultation per patient for the same diagnosis per two consecutive 12-month periods (a second is allowed only for an in-patient or ED consult 12–24 months after the first), and one per 12 months for a clearly unrelated diagnosis. Excess pays as a specific assessment (GP17, GP18).
• Patients under 16 get the specialist consultation age premium (10–30% by age) (GP64).
• In-patient visits: see GP40–GP48. For emergency calls and special visits to in-patients, use the General Listings (A prefix) and premiums (A166).
• Only one consultation, general or specific assessment or re-assessment is payable per admission when the patient moves between physicians (GP40).
• A surgeon can't bill the hospital admission assessment unless it is the major pre-operative visit (GP40, SP2).
• Video only for in-patients, and only if you aren't the MRP, no local physician with the expertise is available, and the referrer saw the patient in person within 30 days (AJ2, A69).

Often billed with

• E082 admission assessment by the MRP (+30%) when you are the MRP and this is the admission assessment (GP42).

Common rejections

• ARF: OHIP describes this as 'Missing physician referring number': a consultation needs the referring physician's or NP's billing number from the written request (GP16).

Related codes: C246, C243, C935, A245, C242

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Consultations and Visits, Otolaryngology (24), page A166.

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