Assignment of Payment
The locum physician agrees to assign payment for office-based services to the host physician’s payment number for services provided while on assignment. The host physician is responsible for submitting claims to MSP within two weeks after the end of the locum assignment and refused claims within two weeks of the refusal date.
For hospital-based/on-call locum assignments, the locum must apply for an additional MSP payment number and bill fee-for-service claims under that payment number for the duration of the assignment.
An Assignment of Payment is a legal agreement through which a practitioner designates that MSP payments for their services are to be made to another practitioner or group such as a clinic or hospital.
Assignment of Payment must be submitted to the Locums for Rural BC office prior to the commencement of the locum assignment.
Application for Payment of Daily Rate
FPA locum physicians are paid a daily rate from $1,375 to $1,788 dependent upon the community designation, and must cover at least the anesthesia portion of the host physician’s practice. In general, the higher the number of rural points a community receives, the higher the daily rate. For more information regarding specific rates for rural communities, please contact Locums for Rural BC.
- A & B Communities – $1,522 – $1,788
- C communities – $1,375
- D communities – $1,375
In cases where a certified anesthesiologist provides coverage for a FPA, they will be paid a guaranteed specialist daily rate of $1,875 – $2,438.
*A daily rate may not be applicable if a locum physician is receiving payment elsewhere (i.e. LFP, income guarantee contract, provincial anesthesia/APT contract, other).
For on-call assignments, locums must apply for an additional payment number and bill all fee-for-service claims under that payment number for the duration of the assignment. Ensure the SCC of the community in which they are providing locum coverage is entered on all claims submitted for payment, to receive the RRP Fee Premium for services provided while on locum assignment
The host physician should pay the locum physician directly for services not covered by MSP (i.e., private, Insurance Corporation of BC, WorkSafe BC, reciprocal billings). Payment should be made prior to the locum physician leaving the assignment, less the 40% overhead deduction.
The locum will normally assume the host physician’s on-call responsibilities and will receive reimbursement from the health authority for the medical on-call availability services provided during the assignment.
Ensure that the SCC of the community in which they are providing locum coverage is entered on all claims submitted for payment, to receive the RRP Fee Premium for services provided while on locum assignment.
Note: All locum physician financial forms are located online in your LRBC account.
Submission Deadlines: Effective April 1, 2024, RFPALP Application for Expense, Travel Time Honorarium and Daily Rate claims must be received by LRBC within 90 days from the date the travelling physician arrives home to receive reimbursement. Physicians who fail to submit within 90 days will forfeit eligibility for the reimbursement of travel time honorarium. Physicians who submit after 90 days are still eligible for daily rate and travel expense reimbursement up until March 31st of the next fiscal year. For example, a FPA who submits a claim after 90 days for Fiscal 2023/24 will have up until March 31, 2025, to receive reimbursement for their travel expenses and the daily rate only.