Expedited Surgical Premium project recovers $118k in physician payments

A recent project initiated by Doctors of BC, in collaboration with WorkSafeBC, has recovered $118,000 in expedited surgical uplift fees for BC orthopedic and plastic surgeons. The work was led by the Doctors of BC and WorkSafeBC Liaison Committee, which identified challenges with tracking payments under the Expedited Surgical Premium (ESP).

The ESP is an additional fee paid to surgeons for WorkSafeBC-approved surgeries performed within 40 business days of receiving written surgical approval from a WorkSafeBC officer. However, challenges with the ESP billing process meant some physicians did not receive payments they were entitled to for surgeries they had performed. The most common issue noted failure to submit the zero-dollar fee code on time to start the payment process.

Recovered fees and targeted outreach

After the WorkSafeBC Liaison Committee identified the ESP payment issue, WorkSafeBC offered surgeons the opportunity to resubmit eligible past claims that should have been paid within a two-year recovery period.

To support members, Doctors of BC contacted the BC Orthopaedics Association and Section of Plastic Surgery in late 2025 to inform them about a three-month window to resubmit their claims. By July 2026, 78 retroactive claims had been approved, and 49 surgeons had received a total of $118,000 in recovered fees.

Additionally, Doctors of BC and WorkSafeBC co-hosted a dedicated ESP billing webinar in May 2026 to provide further guidance to impacted surgeons and their office staff. Watch the recorded webinar on ESP billing.

Supporting BC physicians with tailored resources

To help surgeons who perform ESP-related procedures and their clinical teams navigate the ESP billing process, Doctors of BC and WorkSafeBC also developed an ESP guide. The page outlines detailed steps for qualifying a surgery for ESP, common billing errors, and program exceptions.

This project is one example of how the physician voice, through Doctors of BC committees, can lead to meaningful improvements that address the challenges physicians face in their day-to-day practice. Learn more about the WorkSafeBC Liaison Committee (login required) and access additional WorkSafeBC resources on our Workplace Safety web page. If you have questions, please get in touch via our contact form.