< Billing codes

Billing code

K023A — Palliative Care Support (>20 min)

Palliative care support

Bill K023 per half-hour unit for pain and symptom management, emotional support and counselling for a palliative patient, at 20 minutes or more.

Watch for: No other family practice visit or consultation code is payable with it except A945/C945; record start and stop times.

Code

K023A

Description

Palliative Care Support (>20 min)

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

Palliative care support: time-based pain and symptom management, emotional support and counselling for a palliative patient, per half-hour unit.

What it covers

K023 is a time-based service for pain and symptom management, emotional support and counselling given to patients receiving palliative care (A2).

In the office and at home, under 20 minutes you bill the visit code you provided; at 20 minutes or more of palliative support, K023 is billed instead of the assessment, with the palliative home visit premiums at home where they apply (OMA palliative care guide pp.5–6).

Billing rules

• No other Family Practice & Practice in General consultation or visit code is payable with K023, except A945/C945 (A2).
• After a special palliative care consultation (A945/C945) longer than 50 minutes, K023 units are payable in addition; K023 time starts 50 minutes after the A945/C945 start time (A2).
• Units are ½ hour or major part: 1 unit = at least 20 minutes, 2 units = 46, 3 units = 76, 4 units = 106 (A2, GP55).
• Record start and stop times in the chart, or the payment is adjusted to a lesser fee (A2).
• Still payable in a week when G512 palliative case management is billed (J102).
• May be given by video or phone as comprehensive virtual care with K300A or K301A; by phone it pays 85% of the in-person fee (AJ1, A70).
• FHO: out of basket (not on Agreement Schedule 2, p.79), and it counts toward the palliative care special payment for enrolled and non-enrolled patients (Agreement p.66, §8.6).

Often billed with

• K300A or K301A when the visit is by video or phone (A70).
• B966 travel and B998 first-person palliative home visit premiums, B997 at night (GP76); the OMA guide treats K023 as the alternative to the assessment on a palliative home visit of 20 minutes or more (OMA palliative care guide p.6).
• G512 palliative care case management fee for the same week (J102).
• A945 special palliative care consultation, with K023 for time past 50 minutes (A2).
• E080 first visit after hospital discharge, office or home, within 2 weeks of an acute in-patient discharge (GP28).

Related codes: A945, C945, G512, G511, B998, B966, K015, A900

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Consultations and Visits, Family Practice & Practice in General (00), Palliative care support, page A2; GP55, GP76, J102; FHO Agreement p.66; OMA palliative care guide (2023) pp.5–6.

APEX checks every paid claim against the Schedule of Benefits and flags codes billed below what the visit qualified for. See how APEX works · Pricing