In 2023, the BC Government made a new requirement for all family physicians in BC to submit a Longitudinal Family Physician (LFP) Panel. The LFP Payment Model requires physicians to develop and submit a list of empaneled patients annually. The LFP Payment Model was developed by the BC Ministry of Health in consultation with BC Family Doctors and Doctors of BC. An alternative to the fee-for-service model, the LFP payment model is a blended model to support physicians in family practice who provide longitudinal family medicine care. It was developed to:
Recognize the complexity of longitudinal care
Value the time spent with patients
Resource family medicine clinics as critical healthcare infrastructure
Acknowledge the value of indirect care and clinical administrative services
Support physician agency and flexibility in practice
It supports family physicians by compensating for time, patient interactions, and the number and complexity of patients in their practice. On February 1, 2023, eligible family physicians in BC who register for the LFP Payment Model will be able to start billing under the LFP Payment Model.
Some Electronic Medical Records (EMR) allow clinics to download and submit their panels directly from the EMR. Currently, Arya does not have the capability to do so. Arya requires the use of third party software to submit the list of empaneled patients. The third-party billing service is Dr. Bill. Using Dr. Bill physicians can upload the panels and Dr. Bill will submit to MSP Teleplan on behalf of the physicians. This option is being provided without cost and will require an extra step of registering with this billing service.
How do physicians know they are eligible?
The required services are:
Provide longitudinal family physician services
Provide timely, accessible and relationship-based care to their patients by collaborating with other healthcare workers when appropriate
Submit accurate lists of empaneled patients
Have at least 250 empaneled patients within 4 months of enrolling for LFP
Provide LFP services for a min. of 1 day/week distributed equally throughout the year
Ensure that non-panel services are less than 30% of the total LFP practice services and non-panel services provided in a calendar year
Provide patient care that is consistent with guidance on the appropriate use of virtual care endorsed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC.
Encourage patients to participate in provincially administered surveys about their primary care experiences
Create and maintain medical records
Agree to audits and assessments from the Medical Services Commission as set in the Medicare Protection Act
If all of the required services are met, a physician must:
Physicians contribute directly/indirectly to the rent, lease, or ownership/operating costs of the clinic that is their LFP clinic
Physicians have not withdrawn from the LFP model in the past 12 months
Physicians have not been deemed ineligible by the Medical Services Commission unless written approval for re-enrollment is provided
LFP Payment Model with Arya
How to claim under the LFP the payment model
Obtain a Facility Number:
A Facility Number is not required to enroll in the LFP payment model; however, it is required to submit claims under the LFP payment model. Facility Numbers for diagnostic or Primary Care Organization (PCO) facilities should not be used for the LFP payment model.
Physicians can obtain the Facility Number from the Facility Administrator (the physician responsible for administration of the facility). Physicians are advised to confirm their Facility Number(s) as soon as possible to allow billing of LFP fee items as of February 1, 2023.
A Facility Number obtained for the Business Cost Premium (BCP) can also be used by one or more physicians to submit LFP claims. Using the facility code for LFP will not affect your use of the facility code for BCP.
If a facility does not have a Facility Number, the Facility Administrator must apply for a number by submitting the “Application for MSP Facility Number (New)” form. Each location must obtain a unique Facility Number.
Before completing the Application for MSP Facility Number (New):
Ensure that no one else has submitted an application for a Facility Number for your facility
Review the requirements for the Business Cost Premium (BCP) to determine if your facility is eligible if you are requesting that the BCP be applied to your facility (see Business Cost Premium)
Cancel or Change Details for a Facility
If there are any changes to the information for the facility after the application for a Facility Number has been submitted, the Facility Administrator must submit the “Application to Cancel or Change Details for Facilities with an MSP Facility Number” form.
Enrolling in the LFP Payment Model
Once you have a facility number, you may enroll in the LFP Payment Model by submitting the zero-sum Registration Code 98000 to HIBC via Teleplan. Use the following “patient” demographic information:
PHN: 9694105066
Patient Surname: Portal
First name: LFP
Date of Birth: January 1, 2023
ICD-9 code: L23
Physicians are advised to submit Registration Code 98000 five business days prior to submitting claims under the LFP Payment Model. Alternatively, you can start entering claims immediately for the LFP model, but hold them for 5 days before submitting to allow for processing time on MSP’s side.
Code 98000 can be submitted anytime during the year in your first year of enrollment in the FLP model. For subsequent years, you must submit code 98000 annually between Jan 1 and Mar 31 to stay enrolled.
Transition Code: For physicians who do not do not yet meet the requirement that non-panel services are no more than 30% of the total of LFP Practice Services, Transition Code 98001 may be entered to confirm you are actively transitioning the practice to meet this requirement by March 31, 2024. If applicable, use the following "patient" demographics to submit this code:
PHN: 9753035697
Patient Surname: Portal
First name: LFP
Date of Birth: January 1, 2013
ICD-9 code: L23
Locum Code: To enroll as a locum, you must first submit registration code 98000 as detailed above followed by locum registration code 98005 using your MSP Practitioner Number. Submit code 98005 using the following information
PHN: 9753035697
Patient Surname: Portal
First name: LFP
Date of Birth: January 1, 2013
ICD-9 code: L23
Method of Withdrawal
Physicians can voluntarily withdraw from the LFP Payment Model and transition to another payment model at any time, but may not re-enroll for a period of 12 months unless approved in writing by the Medical Services Commission.
A physician who does not meet the eligibility criteria and is not providing the required Services as outlined in the LFP Payment Schedule must promptly withdraw from the LFP Payment Model.
To withdraw from the LFP Payment Model, please complete the form below and submit it to the Ministry of Health via mail or fax.
How to set up Arya to assist with Submission of your LFP Panel
Every patient in Arya needs an assigned main Physician Provider. This can be done by filling in the “Family Physician” Field in the Demographics section of Arya.
Select Patients → Select a Patient → Select Demographics → Select the + icon next to Family Physician and search for the Physician name.
Enter First Name, Last Name and other provider information and click Save
Your Family Physician and main Physician Provider is now updated.
Arya currently qualifies patients Active or Inactive status based on their last in office visit with a Note created. In order to make a patient “Active”, Physicians must ensure all active patients have a recent note inputted into Arya.
On Doctors of BC panel assessment, it indicates that defining an active patient is at the physician's discretion but for medical record management companies, an active patient has to have visited the office anywhere in the past 2 to 7 years so patients that qualify within this time range as defined by a Note creation in Arya. https://www.doctorsofbc.ca/sites/default/files/bp_patient_panel_assessment.pdf
Complete Patient Fields applicable to panel in the demographics section of the patient profile.
Patient First Name
Patient Last Name
PHN
DOB
Submitting your LFP Panel with Arya
Overview:
Arya’s Responsibility: Provide physicians with a report of their active patients with BC medical coverage. This report will include the patients First Name, Last Name, PHN, and DOB and Family Physician.
Physicians Responsibility: 1) Register for the LFP Model/ Panel Submission 2) Go through the report provided by Arya to check for any discrepancies and ensure that the list meets the LFP model requirements prior to submitting in Dr. Bill 3) Submit to Dr.Bill.
Physicians need to submit a CSV file that includes all active patients with BC medical coverage. The list needs to include:
Patient First Name
Patient surname
PHN
DOB
How to Obtain your list of Empaneled Patients from Arya
At least 3 months before LFP Submission Deadline, reach out to your Arya Point of Contact and let them know you are interested in submitting your LFP Panel. Let them know the following:
The day you are planning to submit your panel
The day you require your panel from Arya by
The date range of “active” patients that you want to pull a panel for.
If you require the list separated by “Family Physician”
Arya will send you your csv. file for all patients in the required format needed for submission.
How to Clean Up your Panel
Review your patients in your panel
Clear deceased and patients (if applicable) from your panel.
Check formatting and ensure you are following the format Dr. Bill is required. Spreadsheet detail requirements: https://www.doctorsofbc.ca/sites/default/files/spreadsheet_details_for_dr.bill_.pdf.
Correct submission format:
If you require help with Panel clean up or more information on how to clean up your panel. You can submit a service request HERE or email psp@doctorsofbc.ca
How to submit your Panel list to MSP through Dr. Bill
Register to submit your LFP Panel. https://www.doctorsofbc.ca/managing-your-practice/doctors-technology-office-dto/health-technology-resources/registration-lfp. Complete registration in your Doctors of BC account.
Login to your Dr. Bill Account.
Import your empaneled patients
On the Patient Panel page, follow the instructions to import your file.
Review your patient panel and submit
After you import your file, you will have the opportunity to review your patient panel before it gets sent to MSP. You will see two tabs: Valid Patients and Invalid Patients. Valid patients have passed an initial data entry check and are ready to submit to MSP. Invalid patients may have data entry errors or missing information. You can correct these errors by updating the information in your original file, and re-importing the updated document.
You’re done! MSP will review your submission
Based on volumes, MSP will review your patient panel and provide a response. Once MSP reviews your panel, you will receive a confirmation email. If any issues are identified, you will be able to log back in to your patient panel on Dr.Bill to access specific feedback from MSP and address any concerns. Please note, at this time you will not be able to edit or alter any patients who have been accepted by MSP. Panels will be populated into PAS within 3-5 weeks.
Important Resources and Dr. Bill FAQs
Dr. Bill FAQs | |
Service Request with MSP - Service Request Form | |
Service Request with MSP - Email | |
Doctors of 'BC Health Technology Resources | |
BC Gov: What is the Longitudinal Family Physician Payment Model? | |
BC Family Doctors of BC LFP Payment Model |