Newfoundland and Labrador will compensate physicians who bill per service and have lost income as their practice changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association President Charlene Fitzgerald wrote in an April 1 letter that the policy will make it easier to compensate doctors who are stepping into new roles as part of the pandemic response.
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Physicians must continue to carry out normal services, either virtually or in-person, and commit their availability for additional services during the pandemic, including on-call groups, in order to be eligible.
Compensation will be based on a physician’s average fee-for-service earnings for the previous 26 pay periods. The policy guarantees they will compensated for at least 80 per cent of their average earnings.
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It’s effective retroactively from March 18 through July 1, or until the provincial health department “deems pandemic health care delivery no longer necessary.”
Fitzgerald wrote that the compensation plan will allow physicians to pay overhead costs like staff salaries within their practices.
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