Starting April 1, 2020, eligible doctors will be able to claim extra fees for consultation, visit, counselling and complete examination services to help cover the rising rent or ownership costs of their office, including mortgage, utilities, property taxes, etc.
The new Business Cost Premium (BCP) program offers the following percentage values and daily maximum amounts based on the eligible fees and the location of the office:
- City of Vancouver: 5% of eligible fees up to a maximum BCP payment of $60 per day per physician.
- Metro Vancouver (excluding the City of Vancouver) and Greater Victoria: 4% of eligible fees up to a maximum BCP payment of $48 per day per physician.
- Other communities (outside Greater Vancouver and Greater Victoria) not eligible for the Rural Retention Premiums: 3% of eligible fees up to a maximum BCP payment of $36 per day per physician.
The BCP will be applied to eligible fees submitted on physician’s billing claims, and will be paid to the physician’s (or assigned) payee number.
If an eligible physician is responsible for some or all of the lease or ownership costs at more than one location, the physician will need to register each location where eligible services are provided.
The BCP is an MSP payment and the sharing of the subsidy will be between the physician and the clinic owner based on their current agreement regarding overhead costs. The BCP is for doctors and clinic owners cannot automatically retain all of the BCP. Only physicians who pay towards the rent or ownership costs of an eligible office qualify.
If you work as a locum in the clinic that qualifies and part of your agreement is to cover a portion of the lease or ownership costs, then you are eligible for the BCP.
To register for the BCP, an electronic registration form and online submission process will be available in January or February 2020.
