President’s Letter: Consultations on tentative Blended Capitation Payment Model
Dear Colleagues:
I am very pleased to report that the NLMA and provincial government have reached a tentative agreement on a new Blended Capitation payment model for family physicians.
Blended Capitation is a voluntary, alternate payment model designed for independent community family practice. The model blends a capitation payment per each rostered patient with a partial fee-for-service payment for direct patient encounters. The new model supports comprehensive family medicine, improved access for patients, team-based care, and improved recruitment and retention of physicians who want to practise under this model.
Before finalizing the new agreement, the NLMA will hold virtual consultations with members via Zoom according to the schedule below:
Member Consultations
Practising Family Physicians
- Monday, March 27 | 5:00 p.m.
- Zoom Link: https://nlma-nl-ca.zoom.us/j/81622578287
- Tuesday, March 28 | 7:00 p.m.
- Zoom Link: https://nlma-nl-ca.zoom.us/j/82040081669
Learner Consultation (Medical Students and Family Medicine Residents)
- Monday, March 27 | 7:00 p.m.
- Zoom Link: https://nlma-nl-ca.zoom.us/j/88343082039
Background
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed on May 3, 2022, included a commitment from the NLMA and the provincial government to establish Blended Capitation as a new payment schedule of the MOA. Negotiations for the new payment model began in the summer of 2022 with an agreed deadline of November 3. Following the deadline, the parties agreed the assistance of a mediator was required to reach a final deal. The NLMA and the Department of Health appointed the Honourable David Orsborn to oversee the mediation process, which concluded in late January. Both parties accepted the comprehensive package arrived at through mediation and completed negotiations on several outstanding issues in late February.
To learn more about the new payment model, please join us at one of our Blended Capitation consultation sessions listed above.
Sincerely,
Kris Luscombe
President