VARIATION IN PHYSICIAN REIMBURSEMENT FOR ENDOSCOPY ACROSS CANADA

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VARIATION IN PHYSICIAN REIMBURSEMENT FOR ENDOSCOPY ACROSS CANADA

L Roth, P Adams

Division of Gastroenterology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
Aims: The current study aims to compare provincial physician fees for both upper and lower endoscopy as well as to contrast them with international rates.
Methods: Provincial ministries responsible for health care were contacted for their physician fee schedule. Most ministries had their schedule available online, and for those that did not or if further information was required in order to ascertain the exact amount, phone or email inquiries were made. Rates for esophagogastroduodenoscopy without biopsy or intervention, and colonoscopy to the cecum (when rate available) without biopsy or intervention were collected. Data from the 3 Canadian territories were collected and reported in a separate category.
International rates were collected using personal contact information with endoscopists in countries such as Australia, Italy, France, and The United States of America.
Results: The national average for gastroscopy was $114.19 ± 31.47, with a median value of $110.50. The range was from $52.50 in Quebec to $156.10 in Nova Scotia. The remaining provincial values can be found in figure 1 compared against the national average. Data from the territories demonstrated values of $178.70 and $213.33 for the Yukon and Northwest Territories, respectively.
Colonoscopy fees ranged from $105.00 in Quebec to $223.00 in Nova Scotia, with an average national fee of $170.99 ± 33.49 and a median value of $170.86. The remaining provincial values can be found in figure 1 compared against the national average. Data from the territories demonstrated values of $398.10 and $201.43 for the Yukon and Northwest Territories, respectively.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the variation between the provincial fee schedules across Canada for endoscopy is considerable.
Figure 1: Provincial and average national rates for gastroscopy and colonoscopy

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