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Billing code

G328A — Aspiration bursa or complex joint, with or without injection

Joint or bursa aspiration

Bill G328 for aspirating a bursa or complex joint (any joint but the knee, or a knee distorted by inflammatory arthritis), with or without injection.

Watch for: Not payable for injection alone; the joint must be aspirated, and the olecranon bursa is billed as G370 or G371.

Code

G328A

Description

Aspiration bursa or complex joint, with or without injection

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

Aspiration of a bursa or complex joint, with or without injection. Complex means any joint but the knee, or a knee distorted by inflammatory arthritis.

What it covers

G328 is aspiration of a bursa or of a complex joint, with or without injection (J53). Each additional bursa or complex joint is G329, to a maximum of 2 (J53).

A joint is complex only if it is a joint other than the knee, or a knee whose anatomy is distorted by disseminated lupus erythematosus, dermatomyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, Still's disease, ankylosing spondylitis or another seronegative spondyloarthropathy (J53). Injection without aspiration is billed as G370 (J53).

Billing rules

• Not payable solely for injection of a complex joint; the joint or bursa must be aspirated (J53).
• Bill G329 for each additional bursa or complex joint, to a maximum of 2 (J53).
• Only one of G370, G371, G328 and G329 per bursa, joint or complex joint (J53).
• Aspiration and/or injection of the olecranon bursa is billed only as G370/G371, not G328 (J53).
• Not payable with a surgical procedure on the same site or area (J53).
• Uninsured when done to inject an intra-articular viscosupplementation agent such as hyaluronic acid (J53).
• Add E542 when performed outside hospital (J53). G328 isn't marked (+), so the G700 sole-visit premium does not apply (J3, J53).
• Not on the GP58 list of exceptions, so G328 is not eligible for payment when the same physician renders any counselling service (K013, K033, K040, K041) to the patient that day (GP58).

Often billed with

• E542 when done outside hospital (J53).
• G329 for each additional bursa or complex joint (J53).
• A007 or another assessment the same day; procedures are payable in addition to an assessment (J3).

Related codes: G329, G370, G371, E542, E446

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures, Injections or Infusions, page J53

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