ICBC announces new Enhanced Care coverage regulations

Following extensive consultation with medical, healthcare, and disability advocates new Enhanced Care coverage regulations from ICBC are set to come into effect on May 1. The new Enhanced Care approach will improve the coordination of care between doctors and other health professionals in British Columbia, and help support residents who have been injured in crashes across the province. 

ICBC and government conducted more than 50 engagement and consultation meetings with members of the medical, healthcare, disability, and road safety advocacy stakeholders. As part of this process at an organizational level, Doctors of BC’s ICBC Liaison Working Group conducted over 12 consultation meetings, ensuring the voices of our members were heard.

How does this affect my work?

Doctors and other health service providers can check out an infographic from ICBC to see how the key changes will affect their day-to-day work. To find more information on the changes, doctors can also visit the Health Services Partners site. A comprehensive, 29-page summary report from the provincial government outlines the engagement process that led to today’s outcome.

Dr Matthew Chow, president of Doctors of BC, said “As doctors, our priority is to ensure that our patients get the best possible care. For those involved in car crashes, this move to Enhanced Care will provide better care by expanding the level of benefits and recovery support.”

Changes include:

• New resources such as the Clinical Advisory Group, which is made up of physicians and allied health professionals, will assist providing clinical insights when inquiries arise on a claim. 
• ICBC claim representatives playing a greater role in coordinating and monitoring a patient’s claim in order to support access to care.
• Treatment Plans - the new method for treatment providers to request access to further treatment. This change should greatly reduce the burden on physicians to support these requests. 

The Enhanced Care changes were initially announced in Spring of 2020 and will create more efficient and streamlined processes for doctors and other healthcare providers working with ICBC, as well as make auto insurance more affordable. 

Doctors of BC will continue to work with ICBC on behalf of our members to implement these changes, while also ensuring we focus on reducing administrative burdens for physicians. Please watch for new resources and materials for doctors which will be shared by Doctors of BC over the next few months. 

Please contact View Email AddressICBC@doctorsofbc.ca if you have any queries about the new changes.