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Billing code

K739A — Consulting Physician (E Consultation)

E-consultation, consultant

Bill K739 when you answer a referring physician's or nurse practitioner's secure electronic request with an opinion within 30 days.

Watch for: Put the referring provider's number on the claim; not payable to dermatologists or ophthalmologists.

Code

K739A

Description

Consulting Physician (E Consultation)

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

E-consultation: the consultant physician answers a referring physician's or NP's secure electronic request with an opinion within 30 days.

What it covers

Physician/nurse practitioner to physician e-consultation is when the referring provider asks for a physician's opinion through a secure server, and the opinion is sent back electronically. K739 pays the consultant (A48).

It is payable only if the consultant gives an opinion and/or recommendations within 30 days of the request, after reviewing the relevant data. When an NP refers, the report also goes to the patient's primary care provider (A48).

Billing rules

• Maximum one per patient per day, 6 per patient per 12 months (any physician), and 400 per physician per 12 months (A48).
• Not payable when the e-consultation is to arrange a transfer of care, or in whole or part to arrange a consultation, assessment, visit, K time-based service, procedure or test; when it is mainly to discuss test results; or when the consultant sees the patient that day or the next (A48, A49).
• Not payable to specialists in Dermatology (02) or Ophthalmology (23) (A49).
• Not payable if you are paid other than fee-for-service for it (A49).
• Chart the patient's name and health number, the referring and consultant physicians, the reason and your opinion (A49).
• Include the referring provider's number on the claim (A50).

Common rejections

• ARF: 'Missing physician referring number': K739 is only payable with the referring provider's number on the claim (A50).
• A4D: 'Invalid specialty for this service code': K739 is not payable to Dermatology (02) or Ophthalmology (23) specialists (A49).

Related codes: K738, K731, K730, K735

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Consultations and Visits, Family Practice & Practice in General (00), page A48; rules A49–A50.

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