The Business Cost Premium (BCP) is a premium available for physicians in British Columbia to claim for Consultation, Visit, Counselling and Complete Examination services. The premium was created to help physicians cover the rising rent, lease or ownership costs of a community-based office.
With these services not being provided in physician’s offices due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on May 1, 2020, the BCP was temporarily expanded to apply to telehealth fee items. The telehealth fee codes include phone and video communication with patients.
In this post, we will share the eligibility requirements to claim the BCP, a quick reference guide to the eligible fee codes, and steps on how to register for the BCP.
BCP Eligibility Requirements
To claim the BCP, physicians must meet the following four eligibility requirements:
- You must be providing the following services:
- Consultations
- Visits
- Complete Examination
- Counselling
- You are responsible for some or all of the rent, lease, or ownership costs of a community-based office, either directly or indirectly.
- The community-based office is in an eligible geographical location (e.g., Vancouver, Victoria, Metro Vancouver, and Greater Victoria). Note: For telehealth services, you must indicate your facility number and service location code that you would have provided if the service was performed face to face.
- You must be entitled to receive and retain payment for the eligible fees directly from MSP (e.g. payments assigned to Health Authorities are not eligible for the premium).
We have put together a Quick Reference Guide of the eligible fees that you can claim for the BCP. You can download it here.
How BCP is Calculated and Paid
The percentage values and the daily maximum amounts of the BCP are calculated and paid based on the location of the community-based office in which services are provided.
| Location | Percentage Values |
| City of Vancouver | 5% up to $60 / day |
| Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria | 4% up to $48 / day |
| Other communities eligible for the Rural Retention Premiums | 3% up to $36 / day |
The BCP will be applied to eligible fees submitted on a physician’s MSP-billing claims and will be paid to the physician’s payee number. Physicians will need to include their assigned BCP Facility Number for the claims system to identify the physical location in which services are provided and apply the correct percentage premium and calculate the daily maximum.
If you are responsible for some or all of the lease, rental, or ownership costs at more than one community-based location, you need to register each location where eligible services are provided.
How to Register for the BCP
The following steps will provide you guidance on how to register for your premium.
1. Register your community-based office for a BCP Facility Number
The first step in registering for the BCP is to complete the Facility Number form to identify the physical location in which services are provided and allow for the correct percentage premium to be applied. You can fill out the online form application or mail the print form to Health Insurance BC, Provider Programs.
The physician responsible for the administration of an eligible facility (the “Facility Administrator”) must apply for a Facility Number by submitting the “Application for MSP Facility Number (New)” form and checking the box to request the BCP be applied to eligible fees paid to eligible physicians attached to that facility. Each location must obtain a unique Facility Number.
You can download the forms here:
Mailing address:
Health Insurance BC, Provider Programs
PO Box 9480 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9E7
2. Complete the online Physician Attachment Form
Once your location has been assigned a BCP Facility Number, you can complete the online Physician Attachment form or fill out the print form and mail it to Health Insurance BC, Provider Programs.
You can download the forms here:
Mailing address:
Health Insurance BC, Provider Programs
PO Box 9480 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9E7
3. Cancel or Change Details for a Facility
If there are any changes to the information after the BCP Facility Number application form has been submitted, the Facility Administrator must submit the “Application to Cancel or Change Details for Facilities with an MSP Facility Number” online form or mail the print form to Health Insurance BC, Provider Programs.
You can download the forms here:
Mailing address:
Health Insurance BC, Provider Programs
PO Box 9480 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria BC V8W 9E7
Need help claiming your Business Cost Premium? Contact us today, we can help!
