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Error code

DF — Required related fee code not billed or paid at zero

Main service missing

This add-on paid $0 because the main fee it must be billed with wasn't on the claim or was paid $0.

What to do: Find the main service for the same patient and date, and deal with its problem first.

Code
DF
Description
Required related fee code not billed or paid at zero

Explanation

Updated October 26, 2026

OHIP paid $0 for an add-on because the fee it must be billed with wasn't on the claim, or was itself paid $0. Fix the main service first.

What it means

DF is a Remittance Advice (RA) explanatory code. The Ministry's wording is that the corresponding fee code was not billed or was paid at zero.

Many fee codes are add-ons. They are only payable 'to' a listed main service, on the same claim. For example, E079 (smoking cessation initial discussion, $15.95) is only payable with one of the services listed on page A56, such as A007, K005 or K013. E080 (first visit after hospital discharge, $25.90) is only payable with the visit codes listed in its payment rule 5 on page GP28.

If the main service is missing, or OHIP paid it $0 for its own reason, the add-on has nothing to attach to and is paid $0 with DF.

Common causes

  • An add-on such as E079A or E080A billed on its own claim, without its main service
  • The add-on billed with a service that isn't on its eligible list (for example, E079 with a focused practice assessment, which page A10 excludes)
  • The main service on the claim was paid $0 for another reason, such as D3 or B8, so the add-on fell with it
  • The main service was rejected to the Error Report, while the add-on was processed to the RA

How to fix it

  1. Find the main service the add-on belongs to: same patient, same service date.
  2. Check the add-on's payment rules in the Schedule of Benefits for its list of eligible main services.
  3. If the main service was rejected or paid $0, deal with that first. The add-on can only be paid once the main service is payable.
  4. If the main service was paid on another claim, the Ministry's virtual care bulletin gives an example of a missed E079A sent later with the same service date as the paid A007A. Check that the add-on's own rules allow it to be billed separately before you do this.
  5. If the main service was never billed and you did provide it, bill it with the add-on on the same claim, within three months of the service date.
  6. If you believe the add-on was refused in error, send a Remittance Advice Inquiry (RAI) through eSubmit, or on form 0918-84, within 7 months of the RA date.

Don't resubmit if

  • The main service still hasn't been paid. The add-on will come back DF again.
  • The add-on was billed with a service that isn't on its eligible list.
  • The main service was paid $0 because it isn't payable. The add-on isn't payable either.

How APEX handles it

APEX lists DF claims in the Correction Centre. For some family practice claims it drafts a corrected claim: check the drafted codes against the chart before you approve it. If you've turned on auto-fix, drafted corrections are sent without waiting for you. Other DF claims are listed under Outstanding for your input. See how APEX works · Pricing

Related codes: D3, D7, B8, IA, I6

Sources