Billing code
G197A — Skin Testing - Professional Component, To A Maximum Of 50 Per Year - Per Test
Allergy skin test, interpretation
Bill G197 per test for the professional component of allergy skin testing; the technical component of the same tests is G209.
Watch for: Maximum 50 tests per year; insect venom testing is G199, not G197.
| Provider | Specialist | Assistant | Anaesthetist | Non-anaesthetist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.39 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
- Code
- G197A
- Description
- Skin Testing - Professional Component, To A Maximum Of 50 Per Year - Per Test
- FHO+ basket
- Covered by the FHO+ base rate payment for enrolled patients, and shadow billed at 30% (50% for Schedule 2B procedures).
- Effective date
- Apr 1, 2026
- Termination date
- No end date
Explanation
Updated October 26, 2026
Allergy skin testing, professional component, billed per test, up to 50 tests per year. The technical component is G209.
What it covers
G197 is the professional component of skin testing, billed per test (J5). The technical component of the same tests is billed as G209.
Other allergy tests have their own codes on J4–J5, for example venom allergy testing G199, patch tests G206 and hypersensitivity skin tests G195/G196.
Billing rules
- Billed per test, to a maximum of 50 per year (J5).
- When a period is stated, maximums are counted per patient in date order and services over the limit pay nil (GP7).
- Insect venom testing is billed as G199 (maximum 2 per patient per physician per 12 months), not as G197/G209 (J5).
- FHO: a Schedule 2 core (in-basket) service (Agreement p.76).
Often billed with
- G209, the technical component, when you also perform the tests (J5).
- A consultation or assessment; diagnostic procedures are payable in addition unless the listing says otherwise (J3).
Common rejections
- ARF: OHIP describes this as 'Missing Physician Referring Number': the claim was sent without a referring physician number where OHIP expected one.
- EQ2: The specialty code on the claim isn't one the physician has registered and active with the Ministry on the service date; check the specialty set up in your billing software.
- EH2: The health card version code on the claim doesn't match OHIP's record, often because the patient has a newer card; get the current version code and resubmit.
- EQ6: OHIP describes this as 'Referring provider number not registered with the Ministry': a referring provider number on the claim isn't a registered number; check or correct it.
- VJ7: OHIP received the claim more than three months after the service date, so it was rejected as stale-dated (GP9).
Related codes: G209, G199, G206, G195, G196, G202
Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures, Allergy — Skin testing, page J5
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