The opinions are in!
Colleges, organizations, groups, & governments unanimously agree that a Physicians time is valuable, and that services not insured by a provincial heath authority are billable to the patient or 3rd party requestor.
" A physician’s assessment & signature on a third-party form have a value that reflects the physician’s formal education and training as well as his/her professional experience. Similar to the signatures of other professionals, a physician’s signature carries certain responsibilities and a commitment that the information provided is accurate and based on objective data and the patient’s medical history. This value needs to be formally recognized and appropriately used..."
" Many doctors shy away from thinking about charging for uninsured fees because it can ‘feel too business-like’ or ‘not why you went into medicine.’
However, charging fees for uninsured services is not necessarily about turning a profit. Rather, it is often about simply recovering your costs for the services. After all, staff time, paper, ink, postage, etc., all cost money – not to mention the value of your time as a physician"
- Ontario Medical Association
" ...not all physician services are covered by OHIP and physicians are entitled to charge patients or third parties directly for the provision of these uninsured services,...."
- College of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario
" At least 10-15 per cent of your practice income can appropriately be generated by Third Party and Uninsured Services billings. Family doctors are often hesitant to bill patients for uninsured services. While many patients believe the Medical Services Plan pays for all services, in fact many are provided for free by physicians. It’s important for you and your patients to acknowledge and value the services you provide, including uninsured services..."
- BC Family Doctors
" Even if a BC resident is insured under the Medical Services Plan (MSP) and/or other affiliated medical plans (i.e. Blue Cross, Sun Life, etc.), not all services provided by a doctor are covered. These services are considered not medically required and are billed directly to the patient...."
" The MSP of British Columbia covers most of a patient’s medical fees for services provided by registrants. However, there are some medical services, referred to as uninsured services, that may not be covered by MSP or other third-party insurers (e.g. medical examinations, certificates/forms, or tests required for employment or driving a motor vehicle). Patients may be charged for these services either on a fee-for- service basis, or in some circumstances, by charging a block fee that would cover all of the services not paid for by MSP over a certain time period."
- College of Physicians & Surgeons of B.C.
" You or a third party – such as an employer, insurance company, lawyer or school – may request your physician to complete a form, report, letter, etc. Provision of these types of uninsured services requires the time, expertise (and office materials) of your doctor and her/his staff. In some cases, a physical examination may also be required. You (or the third party) will be charged a fee to cover these costs."
- The College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta
" There may be times when you are required to pay additional fees to your doctor or other medical service provider for items that are not covered under the Medical Services Plan (MSP) ..."