Remittance Advice · Payment-time (remittance)
OHIP explanatory code B4
Virtual Service not allowed in addition to In-Person Equivalent Service
What B4 means
The Ministry of Health’s official wording for B4 is: “Virtual Service not allowed in addition to In-Person Equivalent Service.”
This code appears as an explanatory code on your monthly Remittance Advice (RA). It means the claim was adjudicated — paid, reduced, or refused — for the reason below. A claim already on your RA generally shouldn't be blindly resubmitted; follow the suggested action.
How to fix B4
A virtual service isn't payable in addition to its in-person equivalent - check whether the in-person service was already claimed for that patient and date; if only the virtual service was actually rendered, file a Remittance Advice Inquiry.
Payment-time codes appear on the monthly Remittance Advice after adjudication. Some are informational, some explain a reduced or refused payment. Where you disagree with the outcome, the usual route is a Remittance Advice Inquiry or written inquiry — not resubmitting the same claim, which can create a duplicate.
Related codes
- AHNot allowed in addition to health exam
- B1Service Not Eligible for Payment When Delivered by Telephone
- B2Paid in accordance with the OHIP Schedule of Benefits for Telephone Virtual Care Services
- B3Patient-Physician Relationship Requirements Not Met
- B5In-Person Service Not Allowed in Addition to Virtual Equivalent Service
- B6Limited Virtual Care Service Already Paid
- B7Comprehensive Virtual Care Service Already Paid
- B8Service Not Eligible for Payment Virtually
Tired of decoding rejections by hand?
MedConcierge explains every rejection on your reports and helps you fix and resubmit in clicks. OHIP billing built by physicians, for physicians.
Code meaning per Ontario Ministry of Health — Remittance Advice Explanatory Codes / Messages (March 2026). The suggested action is general information for Ontario physicians, not billing, legal, or tax advice — codes and rules change, so verify against the current Ministry of Health documents before relying on a claim.