Appliances/Prostheses/Orthotics

The costs of prostheses, orthotics and other appliances are not covered under MSP. Such devices, where insertion in hospital is medically/surgically required and where the devices are embedded entirely within tissue, may be covered under an institutional budget.

Accompanying Patients

When it is medically essential that a medical practitioner accompany a patient to a distant hospital, MSP allows payment at the rates listed in the Payment Schedule for the travelling time spent with the patient only. Out-of-office hours premiums may also be applicable in accordance with the guidelines. Payment is based on a return trip and not applicable to layover time. Claims should be submitted with details under fee code 00084. Claims for travel, board and lodging are not payable by MSP. Medical practitioners who accompany a patient who is being transferred will, upon application to the Health Authority, be reimbursed for expenses reasonably incurred during, and necessitated by, the transfer.

Salaried and Sessional Arrangements

Fee for Service claims for any physician service(s) that is funded under a service contract, or compensated for under a sessional or salaried payment arrangement, must not be billed to MSP. When physicians who receive compensation under a service contract, sessional payment or salaried arrangement are billing for an unrelated service, the appropriate location code and facility code should be included on all fee for service claims.

WorkSafeBC (WSBC) 

A detailed description of WorkSafeBC (WSBC) fees, preamble, and policies is contained in the WorkSafeBC section of the BCMA Guide to Fees. The fees listed under "MSP and WSBC Fee" have been accepted by the WorkSafeBC through negotiated agreements as the basis for their Guide to Fees. WorkSafeBC supplies its own reporting and billing forms. To facilitate payment, WorkSafeBC requires the practitioner to include their MSP payment number on all forms. 

MSP is currently processing claims on behalf of WorkSafeBC as its agent. The BCMA and WorkSafeBC agree that MSP Teleplan is the only acceptable manner of billing WorkSafeBC for services billable through MSP.

BC Transplant Society 

With the exception of medical practitioners paid by the BC Transplant Society under an alternate payment plan, all medical practitioner services associated with cadaveric organ recovery (“organ donation”) are payable on a fee-for-service basis through the MSP. For the purpose of payment of these services, the donor’s PHN will remain valid after legal brain death until such time as the donor’s organs have been successfully harvested. A note record should accompany the account stating “organ donor”.