Reimbursement Guidelines

Accommodation

Reimbursement for accommodations while providing locum service under the rural locum programs in an A or B community will be paid for the duration of the assignment in accordance with the approved list of accommodations offering government rates. Physicians providing locum services in C or D communities will be reimbursed for overnight accommodations while traveling to and from the community only.

Government rates will be applied. Original receipts are required.

Note: Pre-paid accommodation booking by Locums for Rural BC staff is recommended. Contact info@locumsruralbc.ca for assistance.

Travel

Locum physicians will be paid travel honorariums, transportation, and meals (with certain exceptions) when they are providing locum services. 

Meal allowance (to be claimed while on travel status only): 

Out of Province Travel Allowance

Effective September 1st, 2019, locums traveling from outside of British Columbia (BC) and whose primary residential address is outside of BC, who meet all other eligibility criteria to participate with the program, may now be eligible for up to an additional $1,000 in travel funding (e.g. airfare costs, travel mileage) when providing a locum in an eligible community having difficulty recruiting locums. Travel time honorarium is payable within BC borders only.

The OOP travel time is calculated as follows:
 
Motor vehicle: from the time when the vehicle crosses the BC border.
Air: from the time when the aeroplane lands for the first time in BC.

Travel Time Honorarium

Travel time for locum physicians will be reimbursed follows:

Outbound Travel time is calculated from the time the physician leaves their residence to the arrival time in the community. Inbound travel time is calculated from the time the physician leaves the community to the arrival time back at home, to a maximum of $1500.00 per return trip.

Vehicles

The policy for reimbursing vehicle expenses incurred by locum physicians is:

• Car rental (economy class) will be reimbursed. Road and weather conditions are considered at the time of the assignment. 
• Personal vehicle use will be reimbursed at 57 cents/km while providing locum services in the community under the rural locum program in an A or B community only. Reimbursement for physicians providing locum services in C or D communities will be made only when traveling to and from the community. 
• Original receipts are required.

Family/Partner

Expenses for family members are not covered and any additional costs are the responsibility of the locum physician. 

Pets

Locum physicians must contact the facility to determine if pets are allowed. Any additional costs are the responsibility of the locum physician.