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Billing code

Z176A — Repair of lacerations - up to 5cm

Simple laceration, ≤5 cm

Bill for a simple repair of a laceration up to 5 cm, not on the face and without layered closure.

Watch for: On the face, or with tied bleeders or layered closure, bill Z154; tissue adhesive closure pays 50%.

Code

Z176A

Description

Repair of lacerations - up to 5cm

FHO+ basket

Covered by the FHO+ base rate payment for enrolled patients, and shadow billed at 30% (50% for Schedule 2B procedures).

Effective date

Apr 1, 2026

Termination date

No end date

Explanation

Updated October 26, 2026

Simple repair of a laceration up to 5 cm. On the face, or with tied bleeders or layered closure, it is Z154; tissue adhesive closure pays 50%.

What it covers

Z176 is repair of a laceration up to 5 cm (M15). It is the basic repair: not on the face, and without tying of bleeders or closure in layers, which make it Z154 (M15).

As a Z code it is an independent operative procedure (IOP), payable in addition to an assessment (GP4). Removal of sutures only has no fee code of its own: it is a usual visit code (UVC), paid as the appropriate visit (M15, GP12).

Billing rules

• Bill by length and type: Z176 up to 5 cm; Z154 if the laceration up to 5 cm is on the face and/or needs tying of bleeders and/or closure in layers; Z175 for 5.1 to 10 cm (M15).
• Closure with tissue adhesive (such as cyanoacrylate) is paid at 50% of the fee (M15).
• Not eligible for payment with wound and ulcer debridement (Z080 to Z085); when extensive debridement is needed, add E531 (IC) to the repair instead (M10, M15).
• E542 is added when the repair is done outside hospital; E530 is added when inhalation general anaesthesia (other than a 50% N2O/O2 mixture) is used and the suture is the sole procedure (M15).
• A repair taking at least 20 minutes that meets the complex criteria (for example three or more layers or ligation of multiple bleeding vessels) is Z187 (face) or Z188 (other areas), with the time charted (M15, M16). Plastic surgery codes R150 to R154 are not eligible for payment for any laceration repair (M16).
• A non-elective repair started in the evening, at night, or on a weekend or holiday takes the after-hours procedure premium: E409 (+50%) or E410 (+75%), or E412 (+20%) / E413 (+40%) for an emergency department physician billing H-prefix codes (GP103, GP104).
• Surgical procedures for patients under 16 are paid with an age premium of 10% to 30% depending on age (GP64).
• FHO: a Schedule 2 core service, also listed in Schedule 2A (Long-Term Care), and one of the Schedule 2B codes with 50% total shadow billing for enrolled patients. Unlike Z154, Z175 and Z177, it is not on the Schedule 4 office procedures list (Agreement p.59 §4.4, p.82, p.87, p.88, pp.94–95).

Often billed with

• E542 when the repair is done in the office or elsewhere outside hospital (M15).
• The assessment for the visit, such as A007, or A888 in an emergency department equivalent on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday; the repair is paid in addition (GP4, A5). No premiums are payable for a service rendered in an emergency department equivalent (A5).
• E530 when inhalation general anaesthesia is used and the suture is the sole procedure (M15).

Related codes: Z154, Z175, Z187, Z188, E542, E530

Source: Schedule of Benefits (July 1, 2026), Integumentary System Surgical Procedures, Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue, Repair of lacerations, page M15 (complex repair rules M16, debridement rule M10); General Preamble GP4, GP12, GP64, GP103–GP104

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