Billing changes – COVID-19

What's on this page:

• Assessment for COVID-19 therapeutics
• COVID-19 immunization advice fee
• Temporary fee codes for COVID-19 immunizations
• Billing Changes FAQ 

Assessment for COVID-19 therapeutics

This temporary fee is effective for dates of service beginning July 1, 2022 billable by any family physician or specialist.

T10046: Assessment for COVID-19 Therapeutics: This fee is payable for patient care related to COVID-19 treatment, including patient assessment, prescribing of COVID-19 therapeutics, completion of relevant documentation and forms, and arranging for treatment. May be provided either in-person and/or by telehealth – per 15 minutes or greater portion thereof ……………$43.50

Notes:
i) Payable to a maximum of 60 minutes (4 units) per patient/per day.
ii) Start and end times of the assessment must be entered both the billing claim and the patient’s chart.
iii) Payable in addition to any visit or consult fee on the same day if medically required, provided the visit does not take place during a time interval that overlaps. Start and end times of the visit must be entered in the billing claim and the patient’s chart.

COVID-19 immunization advice fee

A temporary fee code is available to all physicians in BC who provide COVID-19 immunization advice to patients.  This fee can be billed when a physician sees a patient for an unrelated visit (e.g. prenatal visit) and in addition provides advice regarding COVID-19 vaccines, whether that visit is in person or by Telehealth.  

A minimum of ten additional minutes for the advice must be provided in addition to the unrelated base visit. The physician would not administer COVID-19 immunization during that visit, as temporary fees have already been established for when a physician provides the COVID-19 immunization and has an accompanying discussion (T10042, TB10043, TB10044).  

This temporary fee is effective for dates of service beginning April 15, 2021. 

T10045  COVID-19 immunization advice fee (extra) …………… $17.62 

Notes: 
i) Payable for COVID-19 immunization advice (ICD-9 code C19 must be entered on claim). 
ii) Paid only in addition to a visit for an unrelated condition and is paid in full. 
iii) Physician time with the patient for the advice must exceed 10 minutes exclusive of time spent on the base unrelated visit. 
iv) Start and end times must be entered in both the billing claim and the patient’s chart. 
v) Not payable with a COVID-19 immunization by the same practitioner, same day. 
vi) If COVID-19 immunization advice fee is provided with a visit for an unrelated condition and with a procedure, bill the procedure and 50% of a visit with ICD-9 code C19. 
vii) If COVID-19 immunization advice fee is provided as a stand-alone service, bill the appropriate visit code with ICD-9 code C19. 
viii) Cannot be delegated to a nurse or other employee of the physician's practice.

Temporary fee codes for COVID-19 immunizations

To support the new fridge-stable COVID-19 vaccines that can be administered in a range of different locations, three temporary COVID-19 immunization fees have been approved. Click for more info.