Diagnostic code
401 — Hypertensive Disease: Essential, benign hypertension
401 is an OHIP diagnostic code used on Ontario Health Insurance Plan claims. Hypertensive Disease: Essential, benign hypertension.
- Code
- 401
- Description
- Hypertensive Disease: Essential, benign hypertension
Updated October 26, 2026
401 is the OHIP diagnostic code for essential hypertension: high blood pressure without a secondary cause and without heart or kidney disease from it.
Conditions billed under this code
- Hypertension
What it covers
The Ministry lists 401 as 'Hypertensive Disease: Essential, benign hypertension' in the Diseases of the Circulatory System chapter.
Use it for high blood pressure. 'Essential' means no secondary cause has been found.
If the hypertension has affected the heart, use 402 (hypertensive heart disease); the kidneys, 403 (hypertensive renal disease). Hypertensive retinopathy is 362 and hypertensive encephalopathy 437. Pre-eclampsia in pregnancy is 642.
Billing notes
- 401 is not on the GP26 list for E078, the chronic disease assessment premium (+50%) that specialists in the listed specialties add to an office or out-patient clinic assessment; 402 hypertensive heart disease is (GP26).
Related codes: 402, 403, 362, 437, 642
Sources
- OHIP Diagnostic Codes (Ministry of Health, February 2026)
- Schedule of Benefits: Physician Services (effective July 1, 2026)
APEX flags claims whose diagnostic code does not fit the service billed before they come back rejected. See how APEX works · Pricing