The Rural Retention Program (RRP) provides financial payments to to eligible physicians working in communities covered under the Rural Subsidiary Agreement (RSA). The incentive program is designed to enhance the supply and stability of physicians in designated rural communities. The program is administered by the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues.
The Program
A physician’s individual RRP payment is determined by the number of isolation points assigned to their community: a Flat Fee based on 30% of medical isolation points with the remaining 70% of points applied to a Fee Premium paid on their MSP fees (or equivalent direct care value of an APP contract). and a Fee Premium on the remaining 70% of Physicians who are paid by a method other than fee-for-service Physicians must meet eligibility requirements in order to qualify for the flat fee sum. The fee-for-service premium is automatically paid as long as the Service Clarification Code of the community where the service is provided is on the Medical Services Plan (MSP) claim.
Isolation point ratings are based on seven factors, including the number of GPs within 35 kilometres of the community, and the distance of the community from a major medical community. The Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC) administers the RRP and establishes the isolation points and the value of retention premiums. RSA communities must have a minimum number of isolation points to qualify for retention payments.
If a physician lives in an RSA community but practices in a different RSA community, he or she will receive the fee premium and flat sum premium for the community where he or she practices. For communities without a resident physician, or with a vacancy, the total isolation points will be applied as a fee premium, to a maximum of 30%.
Eligibility
- Physicians must reside and practice in an eligible RSA community for at least nine months per year.
- Physicians must bill equal to or greater than $65,000 (2021-22) in the previous calendar year. The minimum billing may be revised from time to time by the JSC.
Please refer to the Rural Retention Program Policy (May, 2019) for additional information about the program, eligibility and payments.
For information contact:
Physician Compensation
Rural Practice Programs
Ministry of Health Services
3-2, 1515 Blanshard Street
Victoria, BC, V8W 3C8
P: 250 952-2754
F: 250 952-3486
hlth.ruralprograms@gov.bc.ca
www.health.gov.bc.ca/pcb/rural.html
Doctors of BC (formerly BC Medical Association)
#115 – 1665 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC, V6J 5A4
TFP in BC: 1 800 665-2262
P: 604 736-5551
RuralPrograms@doctorsofbc.ca
doctorsofbc.ca
