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Dear Dr. Manitoba,
We are excited to share details about a new tariff available to designated medical specialty blocs starting April 1, 2024.
The new Continuing Patient Care Management tariff is a supplement designed to recognize and support medical specialists with the ongoing monitoring and follow up required for patients.
This new tariff was negotiated as part of the 2023-2027 Physician Services Agreement last year. We heard from many specialists that Manitoba lagged behind other jurisdictions in assigning appropriate value to the ongoing care provided by medical specialists in managing the most complex diagnoses. The new $30 supplement will help to recognize and support this ongoing work.
The new continuing patient care management tariff adds a supplement to qualifying in-person visits such as a complete exam and can be claimed up to four times per year. It is available to 14 medical specialty blocs and applies to patients with one of 33 specified medical conditions that often require ongoing patient care management by a specialist. The tariff is available to the following blocks of practice: Internal Medicine, Neurology, Geriatric Medicine, Rheumatology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Medical Genetics, Dermatology, Physical Medicine, and Rehabilitation, Respirology, Infectious Disease, and Endocrinology.
How can I learn more?
We have created a billing guide for specialists and their staff to help you prepare for the new tariff. This includes an overview of when to claim the new tariff, and a list of the eligible diseases and ICD codes. Click here for the billing article.
Watch a short 7-minute explanation video.
Our Practice Advice team is also available to join an upcoming meeting or grand rounds for your bloc or section to walk you through the new tariff and answer your questions. You can also contact us anytime at practiceadvice@doctorsmanitoba.ca.
How will this support my practice?
Starting April 1, 2024, you will be able to add the Continuing Patient Care Management tariff to each complete exam or other qualifying in-person visit for patients with an eligible disease diagnosis. This will add $30 to each qualifying patient visit. Plus, don’t forget that all existing tariffs will increase by 2% as well on April 1 under our Physician Services Agreement.
Aside from remuneration that is fairer and more aligned with other provinces, the new tariff also recognizes and supports ongoing patient care management by medical specialists. We have heard from specialists who struggle to find the right balance between retaining some patients for ongoing care or referring that ongoing care back to the patient’s family physician. This is only exacerbated by the fact that Manitoba has a major physician shortage, with the lowest number of family physicians per capita in Canada and major shortages for many specialty groups as well.
Dr. Evan Orlikow recognizes the positive impact for his respirology practice: “The new Continuing Patient Care Management tariff will help me to follow more patients with conditions like asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. It’s a good thing for chronic disease management.”
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