Billing code
E149A — Anterior Vitrectomy - Vitreous Injection Or Aspiration, Posterior With Needle For Culture And/or Injection Of Medication, Other Than For Macular Degeneration
Vitreous injection or aspiration
Bill for a posterior needle injection or aspiration of the vitreous for culture or medication, for conditions other than macular degeneration.
Watch for: Not payable with E112 pneumatic retinopexy the same day, or at surgery when the drug relates to the main operation.
| Provider | Specialist | Assistant | Anaesthetist | Non-anaesthetist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $90.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $79.80 | $79.80 |
- Code
- E149A
- Description
- Anterior Vitrectomy - Vitreous Injection Or Aspiration, Posterior With Needle For Culture And/or Injection Of Medication, Other Than For Macular Degeneration
- 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
Posterior vitreous injection or needle aspiration for culture and/or injection of medication, for conditions other than macular degeneration.
What it covers
Vitreous injection or aspiration through the posterior approach with a needle, for culture and/or injection of medication, other than for macular degeneration (Y6). Wet macular degeneration injections are E186 (left) and E187 (right).
The fee is marked #, so it does not include premises, equipment, supplies or staff for the procedure itself (SP1). No surgical assistant fee is payable (Y6).
Billing rules
- Not payable at the time of surgery when the agent (for example antibiotics or steroids) relates to the condition treated by the main operation. It can be added only for a clearly separate, unrelated diagnosis for which E149 is the primary treatment (Y7).
- Not payable with E112 pneumatic retinopexy on the same day (Y6, Y8).
- Z851 and Z844 are not payable on the same day; use the E175 add-on for therapeutic paracentesis through a separate site (Y2, Y6).
- Anaesthesia by an anaesthetist is billed as E023C; GP97 time and extra units and E003C are not payable for these injections (Y6, GP100).
- Age premiums for surgical procedures apply to patients under 16 (GP64).
Often billed with
- E175 therapeutic paracentesis through a separate site (Y6).
Common rejections
- ADH: Cannot be billed together: E149 is not payable with E112 on the same day (Y8).
Related codes: E186, E187, E175, Z844, Z851, E148, E112
Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Ocular Surgical Procedures, Vitreous, page Y6.
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