Today, we are providing updates on:
- A new payment for comprehensive care that focuses on rural and mid-sized communities
- Long-term care and the Long-Term Care Initiative Advisory Group
- FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for long-term care and inpatient care
- Clarification of LTCI MRP Payment eligibility requirements
A new payment for comprehensive care that focuses on rural and mid-sized communities
As communicated through an FPSC Special Update on October 2, 2024, we are introducing a new physician payment for comprehensive care that focuses on rural and mid-sized communities. Based on physician feedback, the purpose of this payment is to encourage a broad scope of family practice, which is essential in rural and mid-sized communities. It also aims to support groups of family physicians (FPs) working together to meet community needs, to acknowledge the significant value and additional complexity of providing clinic-based care plus acute care, and to help support access to care in rural and mid-sized communities.
The payment, which is expected to be introduced in April 2025, will be available to eligible physicians regardless of their payment model. Eligible physicians will receive up to $10,000 annually, plus the Rural Retention Program premium, for each of the following service areas for which they provide care:
- Emergency
- Assigned inpatient
- Unassigned inpatient
- Facility-based pregnancy and newborn
- Surgery and/or surgical assists
- Anesthesia
We are currently engaged in discussions with rural physicians to ensure that the design and delivery of this payment takes into account the feedback and input we have been hearing, particularly with respect to the range of rural practice arrangements.
We recognize that there are still significant challenges in long-term care (LTC) in communities across the province, encompassing both rural and urban communities. The FPSC is forming a new Long-Term Care Initiative Advisory Group, discussed in the next section, to support the development of a more comprehensive set of solutions to address the needs of LTC across the province.
Look for more information as details are confirmed.
Long-term care and Long-Term Care Initiative Advisory Group
We continue to work with communities to understand challenges in long-term care and problem solve solutions.
The Long-Term Care Initiative Advisory Group membership is being finalized and will start to meet in January. This group will bring together perspectives from divisions, family physicians, health authorities, and other long-term care system leaders to look at issues and help develop comprehensive solutions that support the unique needs of long-term care physicians and patients.
FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for long-term care and inpatient care
Based on physician feedback, we are modifying the Family Practice Services Committee (FPSC) On-Call/Availability Funding to enable more local flexibility, especially in smaller communities where one physician is simultaneously on-call for LTC and inpatient care.
Effective April 1, 2025, when the FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for inpatient care is introduced, the maximum weekly cap for FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for physicians covering both inpatient care and LTC at the same time will be increased to 1.5 times the maximum amount for an individual service (based on current parameters).
Divisions can also submit proposals to repurpose existing unspent on-call/availability funds for the Long-Term Care Initiative (LTCI) as part of FPSC’s commitment to flexibility when meeting community service needs. This includes physician sessional payments for quality improvement (QI) and leadership, and/or physician payments for attachment stipends, first available bed, and recruitment incentives. Unspent funds must be allocated to physician payments only.
Please contact FPSCLTCI@doctorsofbc.ca for details on the process for submitting these proposals.
Similarly, unspent on-call/availability funds for inpatient care can be repurposed specifically to support inpatient care activities. More details about the FPSC On-Call/Availability Funding for inpatient care will be shared as soon as they become available.
Clarification of LTCI MRP Payment eligibility requirements
Based on family physician feedback, the FPSC is clarifying eligibility for the Long-Term Care Initiative (LTCI) Most Responsible Provider (MRP) Payment, as of July 1, 2024.
The LTCI MRP Payment is intended to support FPs not enrolled in the Longitudinal Family Physician (LFP) Payment Model to continue providing care to LTC patients according to the 5 Best Practice Expectations, providing they meet all the other requirements of the payment, which are listed on the FPSC LTC webpage under the section on the “FPSC Long-Term Care Initiative Most Responsible Provider Payment”. FPs are required to participate in their local LTCI to be eligible for the payment.
Eligible physicians include:
- FPs who bill under fee-for-service for their clinic-based longitudinal services and NOT enrolled in the LFP Payment Model
- FPs who are compensated under service contract, new-to-practice contract, salary agreement, or blended capitation for their clinic-based longitudinal services and NOT enrolled in the LFP Payment Model
- FPs who provide long-term care services and do not have a clinic-based longitudinal family practice
The following FPs are NOT eligible for the payment:
- FPs enrolled in the LFP Payment Model for clinic-based longitudinal care
- FPs who provide long-term care services under a service contract, salary agreement, or sessional arrangement
Eligible physicians will be contacted by the FPSC Billing Support Team in January on how to claim the payment. If you believe you might be eligible, but do not receive an email, please contact FP.Billing@doctorsofbc.ca.
This year has been a busy one with many changes, as is reflected in this newsletter. We hope everyone has an opportunity to disconnect over the winter break and spend time with loved ones.
Reminder: Doctors of BC's office will be closed as of December 21 and will reopen Thursday, January 2. Staff will not be available during that time to respond to inquiries. We look forward to connecting with you in the New Year!