Virtual care services account for most new provincial and territorial physician billing codes created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
April 19, 2022 — In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, provincial and territorial governments and medical associations moved rapidly to adapt the physician fee schedules to meet the emerging needs of physicians and their patients during the crisis, especially for virtual care services.
CIHI has monitored changes to the fee schedules, which include new billing codes, modified fees, updated practice guidelines designed to support public health measures, income stabilization and several other modifications. Each jurisdiction in Canada has implemented some of these changes, and many similarities exist from one jurisdiction to the next.
CIHI will continue to monitor the fee schedules and will update the information below as it changes.
The information below is current as of March 18, 2022.
On this page:
Newfoundland and Labrador
Effective date: March 13, 2020
- 50000 — Pandemic Virtual Care Assessment (telephone or patient videoconferencing); effective August 17, 2020, this fee code is restricted to use by family physicians
Effective date: August 12, 2020
- 253 to 264 — New temporary pandemic virtual care codes for consultants (retroactive to July 7, 2020)
- 253 — Consultation
- 254 — Reassessment
- 255 — Anesthesiology, pre-anesthetic clinic assessment
- 256 — Psychiatric care, per half-hour or major part thereof
- Codes 257 to 264 are specific to psychotherapy
- 257 — Individual, per half-hour or major part thereof
- 258 — Group of 4 people, per member, per hour or major part thereof
- 259 — Group of 5 people, per member, per hour or major part thereof
- 260 — Group of 6 to 12 people, per member, per hour or major part thereof
- 261 — Family therapy, 2 or more family members, per half-hour, per family
- 262 — Case consultation with a Child Protection Services or correctional worker, teacher, community health nurse or other allied professional on behalf of a child or adolescent, per half-hour or major part thereof
- 263 — Interview with child or adolescent, per half-hour or major part thereof
- 264 — Diagnostic or therapeutic interview with a parent, guardian, foster parent or group home parent of a child or adolescent, per half-hour or major part thereof
Effective date: May 17, 2021
- 54661 — COVID-19 immunization
- 54662 — COVID-19 immunization add-on to office visit
Further reading
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
Prince Edward Island
Effective date: March 16, 2020
Physicians may provide the following services by telephone during the COVID pandemic:
- xx13 — Limited Office Visit
- 2505 — Health Promotion Counseling
- 2501 or 2504 — Psychotherapy
- 2588 or 2586 or 2886 — Diagnostic and Therapeutic Interview
- xx60 — Consultation
- xx62 — Repeat Consultation
- 2863 — Geriatric Follow-Up Visit
- 0705 — Postnatal Visit
- xx10 — For specialists’ use only: Comprehensive Office Visit for patients who have been initially referred for consultation and subsequent visits for the same diagnosis
Note
xx represents a placeholder that corresponds to the physician’s specialty.
Effective date: June 29, 2020
Physicians may now also provide the following services delivered via virtual care:
- 0160 — Family Physician Consultation
- 0122 — Multi-Issue Office Visit
- 0126 — Complex Chronic Disease Management
- 0011 — New Patient Intake Visit
- 0051 — Addictions Care Consultation
- 0052 — Addictions Initial Assessment
Further reading
Medical Society of Prince Edward Island (MSPEI)
Nova Scotia
All office-based services, except procedural services, that usually occur face-to-face may also be provided by telephone, telehealth network or an approved virtual care platform. COVID-19 vaccination can be claimed using the existing fee code for immunization.
Further reading
Nova Scotia Medical Insurance (MSI)
New Brunswick
Effective date: March 13, 2020
- 1 — For patients with diagnosed or suspected COVID-19 (indicate “COVID-19” in the diagnostic field)
- 859 — For all other virtual care that can be provided in place of face-to-face services
- 331 and 332 — Psychiatrists are permitted to bill these fee codes for services performed by telephone.
Further reading
Quebec
Effective date: March 16, 2020
Physicians bill existing services when delivered by telephone or video conference.
Physicians working in designated facilities may also bill for their services in a variety of ways.
For family physicians, the following fee code exists:
- 19860 — Hourly tariff for providing services in a COVID-19–designated clinic (non-traditional site, or NTS).
For specialist physicians, the following fee codes have been introduced:
Cohort care unit, non-ambulatory NTS or hospitalization
- 15923 — Main visit (visite principale) in connection with COVID-19
- 15924 — Follow-up visit (visite de suivi) in connection with COVID-19.
Influenza clinic, ambulatory NTS or outpatient clinic
- 15925 — Main visit (visite principale) in connection with COVID-19
- 15926 — Follow-up visit (visite de suivi) in connection with COVID-19
Further reading
Ontario
Effective date: March 14, 2020
- K080 — Minor assessment of patient by telephone or video
- K081 — Intermediate assessment including psychotherapy by telephone or video
- K082 — Psychotherapy, psychiatric or mental health counselling by telephone or video
- K083 — Specialist consultation by telephone or video
- K087 — Minor assessment of an uninsured by telephone or video
- K088 — Intermediate assessment of an uninsured patient including psychotherapy by telephone or video
- K089 — Psychotherapy, psychiatric or mental health counselling by telephone or video for an uninsured patient
- H409 — COVID-19 sessional unit per 1-hour period or major portion thereof (for all insured services rendered in an eligible assessment centre)
- H410 — COVID-19 sessional unit per 1-hour period or major portion thereof on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays or Monday to Friday afterhours (5 p.m. to 7 a.m.).
Effective date: October 1, 2020
- K084 — Premium equivalent for virtual care
Effective date: March 6, 2021
- G593 — COVID-19 vaccine
- Q593 — Sole visit premium COVID-19 PEM (patient enrolment model)
Effective date: March 14, 2021
- K092 — Virtual Palliative Care Consultation — Telephone
- K093 — Virtual Palliative Care Consultation — Video
- K094 — Virtual Palliative Care Support — Telephone
- K095 — Virtual Palliative Care Support — Video
Further reading
Ontario Ministry of Health/Ministry of Long-Term Care
Manitoba
Effective date: March 14, 2020
- 8321 — May be billed by all specialties for virtual assessments conducted by telephone or video
Effective date: April 1, 2020
- 8533 — May be billed by psychiatrists for virtual psychotherapy
Effective date: April 24, 2020
- 8527 — Chronic care virtual visit by telephone or video
- 8535 — Virtual consultation by telephone or video
- 8521 — Virtual consultation by telephone or video, involving a child or geriatric patient, by a psychiatrist
- 8786 — Virtual psychiatric care by telephone or video
- 8655 — Virtual psychotherapy by telephone or video
Effective date: November 1, 2020
- 8284 — Virtual visit by telephone or video — patient age 65–69
- 8285 — Virtual visit by telephone or video — patient age 70 and older
- 8442 — Comprehensive virtual assessment by general practitioner
- 8447 — Comprehensive virtual assessment by specialist
Effective date: February 1, 2021
- 8256 — COVID-19 immunization — AstraZeneca
Effective date: April 26, 2021
- 8251 — COVID-19 immunization — Pfizer-BioNTech
- 8252 — COVID-19 immunization — Moderna
Effective date: July 12, 2021
- 8330 — COVID-19 immunization hesitancy advice
Further reading
Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living
Saskatchewan
Effective date: June 1, 2021
Saskatchewan has introduced a virtual care pilot payment schedule for virtual care services provided by a physician. See link below to access the payment schedule.
Effective date: October 26, 2021
- 500A — COVID-19 Immunization Hesitancy Counselling
- 505A — COVID-19 Immunization Administration
Further reading
Saskatchewan Medical Association
Alberta
Effective date: March 12, 2020
- 03.01AD — Telephone advice to a patient or their agent
Effective date: March 17, 2020
- 03.03CV — Assessments provided by general practitioners (GPs) and specialists via telephone or secure video conference.
- 03.03FV — Follow-up assessments (visits), for referred patients only, provided by specialists via telephone or secure video conference
- 03.08CV — Comprehensive consultations provided via telephone or secure video conference
- 08.19CX — Comprehensive psychiatric consultation provided via telephone or secure video conference
- 08.19CV — Psychotherapy and other psychiatric services (such as group therapy) provided via telephone or secure video conference by a psychiatrist or a generalist of mental health
- 08.19CW — Psychotherapy and other psychiatric services (such as group therapy) provided via telephone or secure video conference by a GP and pediatrician
Effective date: June 15, 2020
Retroactive to May 7, 2020, the following are temporary virtual health service codes to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and to ensure continuity of care during self-isolation:
- 03.01PV — Podiatric surgeons completing a limited assessment of a patient’s condition
- 03.01AV — Podiatrist completing a limited assessment of a patient’s condition
- B912 — Optometrist completing a limited assessment of a patient’s condition
Effective date: March 15, 2021
- 13.59V — Immunization and administration of COVID-19 vaccine
- 13.59VA — Prolonged COVID-19 vaccination — physician time only, greater than 10 minutes
Effective date: May 1, 2021
- 03.01CC — Telephone advice and counselling to a patient or their agent regarding the COVID-19 vaccine
Further reading
British Columbia
Effective date: March 17, 2020
- T13701 — Office Visit for COVID-19 with test
- T13702 — Office Visit for COVID-19 without test
Effective date: March 27, 2020
- T13706 — FP Delegated Patient Telehealth Management Fee (similar to G14076)
- T13707 — FP Email/Text/Telephone Medical Advice Relay or ReRX Fee (similar to G14078)
- T13708 — FP COVID-19 Communication With Specialist and/or Allied Care Provider (a new fee code)
- T10008 — Urgent Specialist COVID-19 Advice Fee (similar to G10001)
- T10007 — Specialist Email/Text/Telephone Medical Advice Relay or ReRX Fee (a new fee code)
Effective date: April 15, 2020
- T10000 — Urgent Specialist Advice on patient with previous visit/service fee (similar to G10001)
- T10009 — Non-Urgent Specialist Advice on patient with previous visit/service fee (similar to G10002)
Effective date: June 1, 2020
- T13236 — Telehealth GP Consultation (age 0–1
- T13436 — Telehealth GP Consultation (age 2–49)
- T13536 — Telehealth GP Consultation (age 50–59)
- T13636 — Telehealth GP Consultation (age 60–69)
- T13736 — Telehealth GP Consultation (age 70–79)
- T13836 — Telehealth GP Consultation (age 80+)
- T13237 — Telehealth GP Visit (age 0–1)
- T13437 — Telehealth GP Visit (age 2–49)
- T13537 — Telehealth GP Visit (age 50–59)
- T13637 — Telehealth GP Visit (age 60–69)
- T13737 — Telehealth GP Visit (age 70–79)
- T13837 — Telehealth GP Visit (age 80+)
- T13238 — Telehealth GP Individual counselling for a prolonged visit for counselling (minimum time per visit: 20 minutes) (age 0–1)
- T13438 — Telehealth GP Individual counselling for a prolonged visit for counselling (minimum time per visit: 20 minutes) (age 2–49)
- T13538 — Telehealth GP Individual counselling for a prolonged visit for counselling (minimum time per visit: 20 minutes) (age 50–59)
- T13638 — Telehealth GP Individual counselling for a prolonged visit for counselling (minimum time per visit: 20 minutes) (age 60–69)
- T13738 — Telehealth GP Individual counselling for a prolonged visit for counselling (minimum time per visit: 20 minutes) (age 70–79)
- T13838 — Telehealth GP Individual counselling for a prolonged visit for counselling (minimum time per visit: 20 minutes) (age 80+)
Effective date: January 25, 2021
- T10042 — COVID-19 immunization (with visit)
- TB10043 — COVID-19 immunization (without visit)
- TB10044 — Extended COVID-19 immunization (extra)
Further reading
Yukon
All Yukoners now have the option to have their regular doctor’s appointment by phone or virtual health, using the doxy.me platform. This action is in response to COVID-19 and supports Yukoners while physical distancing.
Further reading
Northwest Territories
Virtual care services are available to all Northwest Territories residents in an effort to maintain public health guidelines. No specific details on fee codes are available.
Further reading
Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority
Nunavut
Nunavut residents can access telehealth services with facilities in Ontario, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
Further reading