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Billing code

C935A — Special Surgical Consultation (see General Preamble Gp19)

Special surgical in-patient consultation

Bill when a surgeon gives a full consultation to a hospital in-patient with at least 50 minutes of direct patient contact.

Watch for: Record start and stop times; minimum-time services without them aren't eligible for payment.

Code

C935A

Description

Special Surgical Consultation (see General Preamble Gp19)

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

Special surgical consultation for a hospital in-patient: a full consultation with at least 50 minutes of direct patient contact.

What it covers

A special surgical consultation is rendered when a surgeon provides all the elements of a regular consultation and spends at least 50 minutes in direct contact with the patient, not counting time on other separately billable services (GP19).

Claim C935 for in-patients and A935 elsewhere (GP20). It appears in the General Surgery listings (A107) and other surgical specialties (A81).

Billing rules

• At least 50 minutes of direct contact; time excludes other separately paid services and non-patient-facing time such as chart, imaging review and documentation (GP19, GP20).
• Record start and stop times; minimum-time services without them are not eligible for payment (GP7).
• Needs a written, signed request naming the referrer and their billing number; otherwise paid as a lesser assessment (GP16).
• Counts toward the consultation limits: one per two consecutive 12-month periods for the same diagnosis (GP17, GP18).
• Detention (K001) can start only after 90 minutes for a special surgical consultation (GP30).
• Specialist consultations take the age premium for patients under 16 (GP64).

Often billed with

• E082 MRP admission premium when it is your admission assessment as most responsible physician (GP42).

Common rejections

• ARF: OHIP describes this as 'Missing physician referring number': a consultation needs a written request from the referring physician or nurse practitioner, and their number belongs on the claim (GP16).

Related codes: A935, C035, C036, C033, K001

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Consultations and Visits, Cardiac Surgery (09), page A81; also General Surgery (03), page A107; definition GP19.

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