May 10, 2023

Updates on the panel payment

The purpose of this newsletter is to provide the latest updates on the implementation of the Longitudinal Family Physician (LFP) Payment Model. To submit questions or feedback on the payment model, please email LFP.Billing@doctorsofbc.ca.

Doctors of BC and BC Family Doctors are continuing to work with government to improve and expand the LFP Payment Model. We are focused on a number of areas, including expansion of the model to enable billing by longitudinal family physicians for facility-based services, including maternity, inpatient, and long-term care. The Family Practice Services Committee (FPSC) is developing options to provide some stabilization funding as soon as possible for physicians providing those services. We have also heard concerns about eligibility of locums, and hope to have an update for you next week. We continue to listen to your feedback, meeting regularly to address concerns.

Today we are providing the following:

A panel payment update
Information on the updated LFP Payment Schedule
Information on finding new patients to attach
New LFP Payment Model EMR orientation guides for OSCAR and MedAccess
A new LFP Payment Model resource sheet

Panel payment update

The LFP Payment Model compensates physicians for their time and patient interactions, as well as the size and complexity of their patient panel (panel payment).

Panel payment amounts for 2023 will be based on an interim methodology adapted from the Community Longitudinal Family Physician (CLFP) Payment to estimate the size and complexity of a longitudinal family physician’s patient panel. BC Family Doctors, Doctors of BC, and the provincial government are working to develop the long-term system to determine panel payments, that will start next year.

The panel payment is designed to be paid out four times per year on a quarterly installment schedule. You can expect the first two quarterly installments to be paid in the same MSP pay period by August 31, 2023. Payment details, including payment dates, will be communicated to individual physicians prior to payment.

In June, family physicians enrolled in the LFP Payment Model will receive a direct email outlining the steps to take to receive the panel payment in 2023.

Here’s what you will need to do to receive the panel payment in 2023:

In June, physicians who are eligible for the 2023 panel payment will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to submit their claim form.
The online form will ask physicians to confirm their eligibility for the 2023 panel payment and their MSP Payee Number.
To access the online claim form, you must have log in access to the Doctors of BC website. If you don’t already have log-in access, please contact benefits@doctorsofbc.ca
Complete and submit the online panel payment claim form as soon as possible. Submitting this claim form is required for you to receive your panel payment in 2023.

General FAQs on the panel payment can be found on the Doctors of BC website (member login). More detailed information about panel payment eligibility, logistics, amounts, and calculation can be found in the BC Family Doctors Billing Question Library (member login).

Updated LFP Payment Schedule

An updated version of the LFP Payment Schedule is now available. The main change is in the section on eligibility, where the wording was adjusted so that family physicians would be eligible for the LFP Payment Model if they contribute either directly or indirectly to the rent, lease, or ownership costs, as well as other operating costs (such as staffing, equipment and supplies) of the clinic(s) that will be their LFP Clinic.

Please review the latest version of the LFP Payment Schedule. The BC Family Doctors resources, including the Simplified LFP Guide and Billing Question Library, have been updated to reflect this change.

Supports with finding new patients to attach

The LFP Payment Model provides the opportunity to better support family doctors and value the work you do. It also provides the opportunity to evolve how you practice to better support your patients and your communities. Some physicians have indicated that they have capacity to attach patients to their practice. If you need help finding patients who are looking for a doctor, please contact your Division of Family Practice for support.

Later this year, we hope to have a more coordinated provincial system for taking on unattached patients as the capacity in the system grows.

We know that having a longitudinal family physician is an important part of every physician’s health. The BC Physician Health Program (PHP) helps connect physicians with their own family physician. If you are willing to accept one or more of your physician colleagues as patients, please let the PHP know by completing the Family Physician Interest Form on this page.

New LFP Payment Model EMR orientation guides for OSCAR and MedAccess

New LFP Payment Model EMR orientation guides are available that outline how to submit LFP Payment Model codes using a step-by-step approach for physicians using OSCAR and MedAccess. The guides include screen shots to demonstrate how to set up your EMR and how to use the EMR to complete each step.

Access the OSCAR LFP Payment Model orientation guide.
Access the MedAccess LFP Payment Model orientation guide.

These guides were created by the Doctors Technology Office (DTO), the Practice Support Program (PSP), and the Billing Support Team, in collaboration with the electronic medical record (EMR) vendor.

LFP Payment Model resource sheet

In order to help you find the supports and resources you need around the LFP Payment Model, we’ve created a new resource sheet, with helpful supports compiled in one place.

Need more information?

Write us

Email: LFP.Billing@doctorsofbc.ca

View our information online (member login required)

Doctors of BC: doctorsofbc.ca/new-payment-model
BC Family Doctors: https://bcfamilydocs.ca/lfp-payment-model/
BC Government website: gov.bc.ca/MSP/LFP (login not required)