July 28, 2023

LFP Locum billing and EMR supports for LFP panel submissions

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 continue to work to improve and expand the LFP Payment Model. We continue to listen to your feedback, meeting regularly with the provincial government to address concerns.

Today we are providing the following updates:

Teleplan error - locum interaction codes
EMR supports for LFP panel submissions
Updates to the Health Connect Registry expansion
Reminder to complete the LFP Locum registration form

Teleplan error - locum interaction codes

LFP Payment Model locum patient interaction codes submitted on July 19, 2023 were refused in error by MSP Teleplan. This applies to all locum interaction codes (except the locum consultation code 98060) submitted on July 19 with any date of service.

The explanatory code for the refusals (VM - Referring practitioner number is missing or invalid) suggests that the host physician’s practitioner number is required on locum interaction codes. This is not required by the LFP Payment Schedule. Only locum time codes require the host physician’s practitioner number in the ‘Referred by’ field.

Refused claims need to be resubmitted for processing on the next remittance.

To ensure timely payment, you will receive a July 31, 2023 remittance payment for the full dollar amount of any locum interaction code claims submitted on July 19, 2023. These will be noted with adjustment code ‘A1.’ These adjustments will then be reversed under code ‘03’ on the August 15, 2023 remittance, and the claims for the resubmitted locum interaction codes will be paid as adjudicated.

Claims submitted on dates other than July 19 were not affected. Patient interaction codes for non-locum physicians were not affected.

For questions around these adjustments, please contact Health Insurance BC (HIBC) by calling 604 456-6950 (in Vancouver) or 1 866-456-6950 (toll-free).

EMR supports for patient panel submissions

When enrolling in the LFP Payment Model, physicians commit to develop and submit an accurate list of empanelled patients for whom they have accepted responsibility. Submissions will be done as a staged process over the next few months.

To support physicians and their staff with the submission process, we are hosting upcoming EMR-specific drop-in sessions for MedAccess and Profile for those who are ready or nearly ready to submit.

Physicians using MedAccess or Profile EMRs and who have cleaned their panel are asked to attend one of the drop-in sessions before submitting their panel. This is to ensure that MSP Teleplan, the system by which physicians submit billing claims, is not overwhelmed by a high volume of submissions. Support staff are also welcome to attend the webinars. Physicians should attend the drop-in sessions as they are ready to submit, because they will be asked to submit their panel within one week following the session.

To register, click the links below:

MedAccess drop-in session: Wednesday, August 9, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PT.
Profile drop-in session: Thursday, August 10, 5:30pm – 6:30pm PT.

During these sessions, you will see a demonstration of the EMR workflow. Staff will answer questions and provide guidance on next steps.

Additional sessions for MedAccess and Profile are being organized, as well as sessions for physicians using an EMR other than MedAccess or Profile. Physicians who are on EMRs other than MedAccess or Profile should not submit their panel until they are able to attend a drop-in session for their EMR. Visit this webpage regularly for the latest schedule of EMR-specific webinars and drop-in sessions.

It’s important to note that the volume and timing of panel submissions will be managed based on the capacity of MSP Teleplan.

We encourage all physicians to cleanup their panels now so they are ready to submit. To support you in preparing your accurate and up-to-date list of empanelled patients through your EMRs, self-serve guides and resources can be found on our Doctors Technology Office Health Technology Resources page. You can also submit a service request for additional support or email psp@doctorsofbc.ca for more information.

Update on expansion of Health Connect Registry

As shared with you in a recent newsletter, the provincial government and Doctors of BC announced the expansion of the Health Connect Registry to help bring together unattached patients with longitudinal family doctors who have capacity to accept new patients. Attachment coordinators will help to match patients in the Health Connect Registry to physicians who choose to accept new patients.

Family doctors who provide longitudinal care will be asked to provide information, including their ability to accept new patients into a registry. This will make it easier and faster for physicians who choose to accept new patients into their practices. Medical directors and/or designated clinic staff will also be asked to provide information into a Clinic and Provider Registry. Compensation will be provided for this work.

Watch for an invitation to a webinar to be hosted by Doctors of BC, BC Family Doctors, and the Ministry of Health that will provide an overview of the new provincial attachment system, the role family physicians will play, how it will benefit you and your practice, and what you can expect in the coming weeks.

Reminder – LFP Locum registration form

A reminder that the new LFP Locum registration form is ready to be completed as soon as possible by all physicians who are/will be billing under the LFP Payment Model for locum services. This includes locum physicians who enrolled and started billing under the LFP Payment Model starting in March 2023.

The online form asks physicians to confirm their eligibility as an LFP Locum under the LFP Payment Model. Your responses to the questions will also directly contribute to future improvements to the LFP Payment Model, and inform steps to strengthen primary care in BC. The form will take about 10 minutes to complete. Thank you to all those that have submitted their form to date.

To access the online registration form, you must have login access to the Doctors of BC website. If you don't already have login access, please contact benefits@doctorsofbc.ca.
Complete and submit the online LFP Locum registration form as soon as possible (member login required).
Submitting this LFP Locum registration form is required to enrol in the LFP Payment Model as an LFP Locum, in addition to submitting both the 98000 Registration Code and 98005 Locum Registration Code to HIBC via Teleplan.
This LFP Locum registration form must also be submitted once per calendar year for a physician to continue enrolment as an LFP Locum under the LFP Payment Model.

For questions about the LFP Locum registration form, please email LFP.Billing@doctorsofbc.ca.

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)