Midwives
Midwifery services are a benefit under the B.C. Midwifery Program for eligible British Columbia residents enrolled with the Medical Services Plan (MSP). They are funded by the Ministry of Health.
Midwives in B.C. offer primary health care to healthy pregnant women and their newborn babies from early pregnancy, through labour and birth, and up to six weeks postpartum.
All new Midwives enrolling with MSP in B.C. will be required to sign a form as part of the registration process.
- Application for MSP Billing Number (Midwives) Form (PDF, 117KB) (effective April 1, 2009)
Midwifery Agreements and Payment Schedule
The following documents are related to the most recent agreements between the MABC and the Ministry of Health.
Current Agreements:
- Temporary changes to the Midwifery Payment Schedule during the COVID-19 pandemic (PDF, 128KB) - Updated February 1, 2021
- Midwifery Master Agreement (PDF, 588KB) – signed February 13, 2015
- Midwifery Rural Services Subsidiary Agreement (PDF, 85KB) – signed February 13, 2015
- Midwifery Preamble and Payment Schedule (PDF, 367KB) – effective November 1, 2019
Midwifery Referrals
Midwives can make referrals to many medical specialists, and directly request many diagnostic procedures and laboratory tests.
- Medical Specialists that Midwives may refer to for Consultations
| SPECIALTY | SPECIALTY CODE |
| ANAESTHESIA | 18 |
| CARDIOLOGY | 26 |
| CLINCIAL IMMUNOLOGY AND ALLERY | 45 |
| DERMATOLOGY | 01 |
| ENDOCRINOLOGY | 51 |
| GASTROENTEROLOGY | 56 |
| GENERAL SURGERY | 08 |
| HEMATOLOGY ONCOLOGY | 74 |
| INFECTIOUS DISEASES | 67 |
| INTERNAL MEDICINE | 15 |
| NEPHROLOGY | 59 |
| OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY | 05 |
| ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY | 10 |
| PAEDIATICS | 14 |
| PSYCHIATRY | 03 |
- Procedures that Midwives may request directly for Patients
| FEE ITEM NAME | FEE CODE |
| AMNIOCENTESIS, TRANSABDOMINAL | 00787 |
| DOPPLER ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY | 08679 |
| EXTREMITY B SCAN | 08658 |
| FOETAL HEART MONITORING - INTERPRETATION ONLY | 00790 |
| GUIDED AMNIOCENTESIS | 04680 |
| INJECTION, VENEPUNCTURE | 00012 |
| OBS B SCAN (14 WKS GESTATION OR OVER) - ADD FETUSES | 86051 |
| OBS B SCAN < 14 WKS/NUCHAL TRANSLUCENCY - ADD FETUS | 86056 |
| OBS.B-SCAN < 14 WKS/NUCHAL TRANSLUCENCY-SINGLES | 86055 |
| PELVIC B SCAN – NON-OBSTETRICAL | 08653 |
| RENAL B SCAN | 08649 |
- Laboratory Tests that Midwives may request directly for Patients
The Laboratory Services Act (LSA) came into force on October 1, 2015. The LSA replaces the Medicare Protection Act and the Hospital Insurance Act as the authority for insuring laboratory services and consolidates the responsibility for all publicly-funded laboratory services in British Columbia. For information on laboratory service benefits under the Laboratory Services Act, visit the Laboratory Services website.
There are currently 100 different laboratory tests that Midwives may request directly for their patients.
Listing of Laboratory Tests Midwives may Request (PDF, 113KB)
Enrolment
Midwives who are licensed by the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) are eligible to enrol with MSP and obtain MSP billing numbers.
Enrolment status, and, therefore, the possession of an active billing number, is contingent upon the practitioner's continued licensure by the BCCNM. Any change in licensure must be reported to HIBC to avoid errors in the processing of claims.
Preamble and Payment Schedule
Midwives can provide a wide array of services to their patients. However, only the services listed in the MSC Payment Schedule can be billed to MSP.
Referrals
Midwives can make referrals to many medical specialists, and directly request many diagnostic procedures and laboratory tests. Learn more about what referrals are billable to MSP and how to make a referral.
