How does compensation work?
BC’s physicians can be compensated in a variety of ways:
- Fee for service
- Contracts
- Salaried positions
- Population-based funding
- Longitudinal Family Practice Payment Model
Compensation for physicians in BC is governed by the Physician Master Agreement, and negotiated by Doctors of BC and the BC government.
Doctors of BC supports options for physicians so that they can operate their practices and get paid how they choose.
Patient out-of-pocket fee information
Even if a BC resident is insured under the Medical Services Plan (MSP) and/or other affiliated medical plans (i.e. Blue Cross, Sun Life, etc.), not all services provided by a doctor are covered. Services considered not medically required are billed directly to the patient.
Patients are encouraged to speak with their doctor regarding the fee(s) for the non-MSP-insured service requested, and if needed, to work out a payment plan. Doctors of BC has established recommended fees for some non-MSP-insured (not covered) services, which can be found in the Fee Guide. This aims to help doctors in setting a reasonable value for these services.
For further information on non-covered medical fees:
- Refer to MSP for information about what services are and are not covered.
- For third-party requests for copies of or the transfer of medical records, please refer to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia guidelines.