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Error code

B3 — Patient-Physician Relationship Requirements Not Met

No existing patient relationship

OHIP refused this comprehensive virtual service because no existing patient-physician relationship was found.

What to do: Check for in-person visits with you in the past 24 months or enrolment; if one existed, send an inquiry with the date.

Code
B3
Description
Patient-Physician Relationship Requirements Not Met

Explanation

Updated October 26, 2026

OHIP didn't pay this comprehensive virtual service because no existing patient-physician relationship was found. Limited virtual care may apply.

What it means

Code B3 means a comprehensive virtual care service was refused because the patient-physician relationship requirements weren't met.

Comprehensive virtual care needs an existing or ongoing relationship. The main ways to have one are: at least one in-person insured service by you in the preceding 24 months; the patient is enrolled to you or to another physician in your group under a Ministry alternate funding agreement; or a qualifying video consultation or listed service in the preceding 24 months (A66–A67). Without a relationship, only Limited Virtual Care is payable: A101 by video ($20.00) or A102 by phone ($15.00) (A73).

Common causes

  • No in-person visit with you in the 24 months before the virtual visit
  • The patient is enrolled to a different physician or group
  • A new patient first seen virtually
  • The earlier in-person visit was billed under a different physician's number

How to fix it

  1. Check the patient's history with you: in-person visits in the past 24 months, enrolment, and prior video consultations.
  2. If a relationship existed, send an RAI through eSubmit, or on form 0918-84, within 7 months of the RA date, with the date of the qualifying visit or enrolment.
  3. If there was no relationship, the service is only payable as Limited Virtual Care (A101 or A102). If a different fee code correctly describes what you did, don't send a new claim for the line already on the RA. The Ministry's guidance for a wrong fee code on a claim posted on a Remittance Advice is to submit an RAI (eSubmit or form 0918-84) within 7 months of the RA date.

Don't resubmit if

  • No relationship existed and you're re-billing the same comprehensive code.

How APEX handles it

APEX reads your error reports and remittance advice from MCEDT and lists claims rejected with this code in its Correction Centre for you to correct and resubmit. See how APEX works · Pricing

Related codes: AT3, B6, B7, B1

Sources