FPSC funding changes for inpatient and long-term care

Mar 5, 2024

The Family Practice Services Committee (FPSC) is evolving its funding supports for inpatient and long-term care to align with the LFP Payment Model, which will include these services in June 2024. A timeline infographic shows the upcoming key dates.

For the divisions of family practice and physicians, the changes will mean:

  • New and ongoing funding (via the LFP Payment Model) for clinical services. Divisions will no longer be required to rely on annual FPSC funding announcements to support critical clinical services in their communities.

  • Enhanced role of divisions in supporting physician networks, such as call groups for inpatient and long-term care.

  • Division autonomy in how funds are spent while ensuring equity throughout the province.

  • Support for divisions to transition their inpatient and long-term care programs from current funding structures to a new payment model.

For more information, please see:

What’s new?

In July 2024, FPSC will introduce the following funding programs to support family physicians providing inpatient and long-term care.

Inpatient Care

• FPSC On-call/Availability Funding for Inpatient Care – Each division will receive an annual amount of $182,000 per eligible hospital for 24 hours per day/7 days per week/365 days per year. The divisions of family practice will administer this funding.

Long-Term Care

• FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for Long-Term Care – Each division will receive an annual amount of $130,000 + $80 per LTCI (Long-Term Care Initiative) bed. The divisions of family practice will administer this funding.

• FPSC LTCI Payment for family physicians not eligible for LFP Payment Model – Fee-for-service family physicians participating in LTCI and who are not eligible for the LFP Payment Model will be able to claim $290 per year per long-term care bed, up to a maximum annual amount, for which they are the most responsible provider (MRP). Payment will be paid directly to eligible physicians.

What’s changing?

To support the new funding programs, FPSC is reallocating funding from the following FPSC programs.

Inpatient Care

• Assigned Inpatient Care Network (MSP fee code 14086) – $2100 per quarter per physician paid directly to individual physicians. The final day for which 14086 is billable is April 1, 2024, which pays for network activities from April 1 to June 30, 2024.

• Unassigned Inpatient Care Network (“GU” payment) – Quarterly payment administered by divisions of family practice or self-organizing groups. The final GU payment will be paid in July 2024.

Long-Term Care

• Long-Term Care Initiative (LTCI) – $400 per year per LTCI bed administered by divisions of family practice. Divisions will receive the final payment in June 2024.

What remains the same?

Inpatient Care

• FPSC Inpatient Care Bridge/Stabilization Funding – Bridge/stabilization funding will be available to September 30, 2024 to support communities, as needed, to transition inpatient care programs from existing funding to new payment model. Divisions will receive more details, including application instructions and payment parameters, in the coming weeks.

• Unassigned Inpatient Care Fee (MSP fee code 14088) – 14088 pays $150 per hospital admission to the physician who accepts MRP status for the unassigned inpatient’s hospital stay. 14088 will remain payable to family physicians who do not opt into the LFP Payment Model for inpatient care and remain on fee-for-service.

Long-Term Care

• FPSC LTCI QI (Quality Improvement)/Administration Funding – Local long-term care QI activities currently funded by LTCI will continue to receive financial support.

Role of the divisions of family practice

The divisions of family practice have a key role in helping us understand and address local challenges and gaps in care, supporting physician practices, and influencing primary care delivery in their own communities. The divisions also have an important role in supporting the changes coming with the expansion of this payment model. Divisions will be responsible for administering the new on-call/availability payments and supporting physicians in organizing call groups. Divisions will still do what they do best: Amplifying the voices of physicians in communities, understanding community needs, and working with FPSC to address them. FPSC will continue to fund the divisions of family practice to support their activities in recruitment and retention, supporting physician practices and physician networks, and system and quality improvement work.

What important dates do I need to know?

This timeline infographic shows the upcoming key dates.

In this video (below), Dr Sari Cooper, FPSC Co-Chair, and Angie Chan, Director, Primary Care Transformation Initiatives, Doctors of BC, explain how FPSC is evolving its funding supports for family physicians who provide inpatient and long-term care in facilities.