Bulletin 240306 — Temporary increases for primary care and alternate payment programs
The ministry will temporarily increase physician payments by 2.8% for the period April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.
To: Primary Care Physicians
Category: Physician Services; Primary Health Care Services
Written by: Provider Services Branch, Physician and Provider Services Division
Date issued: March 28, 2024
Bulletin Number: 240306
Physician Services Agreement initiatives effective April 1, 2024
The Ministry of Health and the Ontario Medical Association have been working together to implement physician compensation increases in accordance with the 2021-24 PSA Year 3 Implementation and 2024-28 Procedural Agreement (the agreement).
A 2.8% compensation increase on physician payments for the period of April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 will occur as described in the agreement. This will be paid as a lump sum with a targeted payment date in the Fall of 2024. Further details of this payment will be provided in a subsequent INFOBulletin.
The agreement also provides a temporary 2.8% compensation increase on physician payments for the period of April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025. The temporary 2.8% increase will be applied to the value of fee schedule codes (FSCs). This will be achieved through an update to the Fee Schedule Master (FSM). The Schedule of Benefits for Physician Services will not be updated for the temporary increase.
Temporary compensation increase effective April 1, 2024
Effective April 1, 2024, the payment elements under your funding agreement identified in the table “Payment Increase Application by Contract Type” will be increased by 2.8% and will be reflected on your Remittance Advice (RA) beginning in May 2024.
For funding agreements not paid via the Medical Claims Payment System (MCPS), amendments will be made to allow for the flow of funds related to this increase as soon as practicable. Payments will be retroactive to April 1, 2024.
Also effective April 1, 2024, the Fee Schedule Master (FSM) will be updated to reflect the 2.8% increases to Fee-For-Service and Primary Care Q-codes. Claims processed through the OHIP claims system with a service date between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025 will reflect these increases and will be reported on your RA.
Payment Increase Application by contract type
| Contract Type | Temporary 2.8% Application |
|---|---|
| Aboriginal Family Health Team (AFHT) |
|
| Aboriginal Health Access Centre (AHAC) |
|
| Blended Salary Model (BSM) |
|
| Comprehensive Care Model (CCM) |
|
| Community Health Centre (CHC) |
|
| Family Health Group (FHG) |
|
| Family Health Network (FHN) |
|
| Family Health Organization (FHO) |
|
| General Practitioner Focus Practice (GPFP) Care of the Elderly (COE) |
|
| General Practitioner Focus Practice (GPFP) HIV |
|
| General Practitioner Focus Practice (GPFP) Palliative Care (PC) |
|
| Group Health Centre (GHC) |
|
| Inner City Health Associates (ICHA) |
|
| Indigenous Interprofessional Primary Care Team (IIPCT) |
|
| New Graduate Entry Program (NGEP) |
|
| Rural and Northern Physician Group Agreement (RNPGA) |
|
| Shelter Health Network (SHN) |
|
| Sioux Lookout Regional Physician Services Initiative (SLRPSI) |
|
| St. Joseph’s Health Centre (SJHC) |
|
| Sherbourne Physician’s Group (SPG) |
|
| Toronto Palliative Care Associates (TPCA) |
|
| Waterloo Region Inner City Physician Group (WRICPG) |
|
| Weeneebayko Area Health Authority (WAHA) |
|
Primary Care Special Premiums & Programs
Eligible Special Premiums and Programs will be temporarily increased by 2.8% effective April 1, 2024 through to March 31, 2025:
- Office Practice Administration (OPA)
- Group Management & Leadership (GMLP)
- Rurality Gradient Premium
- Cumulative Preventive Care Management Bonus
- Special Premiums
- Family Health Team Specialist Sessionals
- Nurse Practitioner Physician Collaboration Program
- Northern Physician Retention Initiative (NPRI)
- Northern Rural Recruitment Retention Initiative (NRRRI)
- Nursing Station Physician Outreach Program (NSPO)
- Psychiatry Outreach Program (OPOP)
- Visiting Specialist Clinic Program (VSCP)
- Hospital On-Call Coverage (HOCC)
- Complex Continuing Care On-Call (CCC)
- Community Palliative Care On-Call (CPOC)
- Hospital Paediatrics Stabilization Program
- Clinical Decision Unit (CDU)
- Psychiatric Stipend Funding Program
- Ontario Fertility Program (OFP)
- Rural Medicine Incentive Payment (RMIP)
- Physician On-Call (POC)
- Periodic Ocular Visual Assessment (POVA)
- Pregnancy and Parental Leave Benefit Program (PPLBP)
Specialist Physician Alternative Payment Plans
All Specialist Physician Alternative Payment Plans (APPs) are subject to the 2.8% increase. The funding will flow as soon as practicable. Payment for April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 will flow in the Fall of 2024.
Update your billing software
Please ensure that your billing software is updated to reflect the new temporary fee schedule code values for any services rendered on or after April 1, 2024, before submitting your claims.
The updated Fee Schedule Master can be found on Ontario.ca. This file will be available for download by April 8, 2024.
Keywords/Tags
PSA; payments; physicians; Physicians Services Agreement; Primary Care
Contact information
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