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Billing code

W031A — General surgery chronic care subsequent visit – additional visits

Extra chronic care surgical visits

Bill for a general surgeon's routine chronic care or convalescent hospital visits after the first 4 (W032) in the month.

Watch for: Maximum 6 per patient per month; bill acute intercurrent illness visits as W121 instead.

ProviderSpecialistAssistantAnaesthetistNon-anaesthetist
$0.00$40.05$0.00$0.00$0.00
Code
W031A
Description
General surgery chronic care subsequent visit – additional visits
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

Additional routine visits by a general surgeon to a chronic care or convalescent hospital patient after the first 4 in a month, up to the monthly maximum.

What it covers

W031 is additional subsequent visits (maximum of 6 per patient per month) in a chronic care or convalescent hospital, General Surgery (03) listings (A108). The first 4 visits each month are W032 (A108).

Billing rules

  • Maximum of 6 per patient per month (A108).
  • Visits for an acute intercurrent illness are billed as W121 whenever rendered, regardless of the monthly limits (GP49).
  • Special visit premiums do not apply to elective visits in long-term care (GP66).
  • W-prefix services apply to chronic care and convalescent hospitals, nursing homes, homes for the aged, and chronic or convalescent beds, but not designated palliative care beds (GP49, A108).
  • For emergency calls and other special visits, use the General Listings (A-prefix) with the Table IV special visit premiums (A108, GP73).

Related codes: W032, W121, W982, W033, W038

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Consultations and Visits, General Surgery (03), page A108.

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