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Billing code

E079A — Smoking Cessation Premium

Smoking cessation discussion

Add when the patient's primary care physician has a first discussion about quitting with a patient who currently smokes tobacco.

Watch for: Document it with a CTI flow sheet or 5A's note; one per patient per 12 months, and only with a listed visit.

Code

E079A

Description

Smoking Cessation Premium

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

Add-on for the first smoking cessation discussion with a patient who smokes tobacco, by their primary care physician. Once per 12 months.

What it covers

E079 pays the primary care physician most responsible for the patient's ongoing care for an initial discussion about quitting with a patient who currently smokes tobacco (A56).

It is an add-on: it's billed with a visit or other listed service on the same claim, not on its own (A56).

Billing rules

• Only payable with one of: A001, A003, A004, A005, A006, A007, A008, A905, K005, K007, K013, K017, K130, K131, K132, K133, P003, P004, P005, P008, W001, W002, W003, W004, W008, W010, W102, W104, W107, W109 or W121 (A56).
• Maximum one per patient per 12 months (A56).
• The chart must show the discussion took place, using a Clinical Tobacco Intervention (CTI) flow sheet or a note consistent with the CTI 5A's model, or it isn't payable (A56).
• Not payable for discussions about cannabis smoking or vaping, including vaping tobacco (A56).
• Payable on comprehensive virtual visits, at a set amount for phone and for video (A74).
• Not payable with any focused practice assessment (A917, A927, A937, A947, A957, A967) (A10).

Often billed with

• A007 intermediate assessment or K013 counselling, the most common base services (A56).
• K039 smoking cessation follow-up visits, up to 2 in the next 12 months (A56).
• FHO and other listed models: Q042A smoking cessation counselling fee for enrolled patients, up to 2 follow-up sessions in the 12 months after E079A (FHO Agreement pp.72–73, §11.9; OMA Q-codes guide p.12).

Common rejections

• AT3: The base visit was billed as comprehensive virtual care and OHIP found no existing patient-physician relationship, so the visit and its E079 add-on were rejected (AT3 guide; A66).
• VH8: The date of birth doesn't match OHIP's record for the health number; correct it and resubmit (VH8 guide).
• EH2: The health card version code doesn't match OHIP's record; get the current version code and resubmit (EH2 guide).
• V23: OHIP questioned the number of services; check the suffix is A and the service count is 1 (V23 guide).
• VJ7: The claim reached OHIP more than three months after the service date; resubmit as stale-dated only if it was first sent on time (VJ7 guide; GP9).

Related codes: K039, Q042, A007, K013, K005

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Consultations and Visits, Family Practice & Practice in General (00), page A56; virtual premium on page A74.

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