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Billing code

G696A — Continuous ECG monitoring (Holter) Level 2 – professional component – 14 or more days

Level-2 Holter reading, 14+ days

Bill G696 for personally interpreting Level 2 continuous ECG monitoring lasting 14 days or more.

Watch for: Payable once per 30 days per patient; the report must state channels, continuity, analysis type and device model.

Code

G696A

Description

Continuous ECG monitoring (Holter) Level 2 – professional component – 14 or more days

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

Level 2 continuous ambulatory ECG (Holter-type) monitoring, professional component, for a recording of 14 or more days. Once per 30 days.

What it covers

G696 is the professional component of Level 2 continuous ECG monitoring (for example Holter) for 14 or more days (J16).

Level 2 covers all other monitoring devices: fewer than three skin electrodes, recording only portions of the period, or no trend analysis. Minimum 12 hours of monitoring (J16).

Billing rules

• Minimum 12 hours of monitoring; the device must meet the Level 2 definition (J16).
• Maximum one professional component, one technical recording component and one technical scanning component per patient, per recording (J16).
• For recordings over 36 hours, bill the code for that duration; don't bill multiples of shorter-duration codes (J17).
• The 14-days-or-more codes (G647, G648, G649, G694, G695, G696) are payable once per 30 days per patient (J17).
• External loop recorders that rely only on patient activation and can't analyze rhythm in real time are not insured (J17).
• The report must state the number of channels, whether the recording was continuous, whether analysis was real-time, post-hoc or both, and the device manufacturer and model (J17).
• You must personally interpret the results to bill the professional component (J1).

Often billed with

• G694 technical recording component for the same recording (J16).
• G695 technical scanning component for the same recording (J16).

Related codes: G694, G695, G647, G648, G649

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures, Electrocardiography (ECG) – Continuous ECG Monitoring, page J16; notes J17.

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