General Practice BILLING GUIDE - British Columbia Medical ...

A GP SERVICES COMMITTEE INCENTIVES
3. Am I able to do the cardiovascular risk assessment on any person in those
age ranges?
Yes. At the same time it is also hoped that general practitioners will employ discretion
in using this initiative just as they do in using other fees and will focus on their patients
who are at higher risk.
4. Am I eligible to bill for an office visit, procedure, or conference fee on the
same day?
Yes.
5. Why is it payable for only 30 patients per year?
This decision was made for financial reasons. First, the prevention budget as noted
above is limited. Second, as this is a trial entry into the field of prevention initiatives,
the GP Services Committee decided to take a more limited first step in order to see
what the outcomes of this initiative would be.
A general practitioner is always permitted to do a cardiovascular risk assessment on
more than 30 patients per year, but our budget limits the payment to only 30. It is
conceivable, too, that the time and effort needed to perform this risk assessment and
subsequent patient counseling will become easier and less time-consuming as it is
done more often.
6. Why is this fee payable only to the “general practitioner or practice
group that accepts the role of being most responsible for the longitudinal
coordinated care of the patient for that calendar year”?
The mandate of the GP Services Committee is to support and enhance fullservice
family practice, and this style of practice routinely accepts responsibility
for longitudinal coordinated care of a patient. Also, just as important as the risk
assessment is what is done with that evaluation, and that full value is derived from
having an ongoing relationship with the patient over time.
7. Am I able to bill this on the same patient every year or is there a
recommended frequency?
In high-risk patients a review every year is appropriate and so this may be billed on the
same patient every year. If, in your clinical judgment, risk assessments every two years
would be appropriate, this would free up additional cardiovascular risk assessment
payments in alternate years.
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GENERAL PRACTICE BILLING GUIDE