Billing code
E550A — Closed irrigation system insertion (wound care)
Closed wound irrigation system
Add when a closed irrigation system is inserted during a surgical procedure for post-operative wound management.
Watch for: Not payable for negative pressure wound therapy, vacuum dressings or bladder irrigation systems.
| Provider | Specialist | Assistant | Anaesthetist | Non-anaesthetist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $63.15 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
- Code
- E550A
- Description
- Closed irrigation system insertion (wound care)
- FHO+ basket
- Not in the FHO+ base rate basket (Schedule 2 or 2B).
- Effective date
- Apr 1, 2025
- Termination date
- No end date
Explanation
Updated October 26, 2026
Add-on for inserting a closed irrigation system during a surgical procedure for post-operative wound management. Not for vacuum dressings.
What it covers
E550 is the Wound Care add-on in the General Fees of the Musculoskeletal System Surgical Procedures section: insertion of a closed irrigation system during a surgical procedure, for post-operative management (N3).
It is an add-on, claimed on top of the surgical procedure during which the system is inserted (N3).
Billing rules
- Only when the closed irrigation system is inserted during a surgical procedure, for post-operative management (N3).
- Not payable for applying negative pressure wound therapy or vacuum dressings, or for bladder irrigation systems (N4).
- Claimed by the operating surgeon with the A suffix (SP5).
Often billed with
- The surgical procedure during which the system is placed, such as R517 excision of a foreign body (N3, N4).
Related codes: R517, E556, Z783, R228
Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Musculoskeletal System Surgical Procedures, General Fees, Wound Care, page N3 (commentary on page N4)
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