Assignment of Payment

The assignment of payment process links a practitioner to an approved facility for the purpose of billing British Columbia’s Medical Services Plan (MSP) for the provision of outpatient diagnostic services.

The Diagnostic Facility Services Assignment of Payment & Medical Director Authorization form – HLTH 1908 (AOP form) is a legal document and can only be processed for those facilities that hold a Certificate of Approval from the Advisory Committee on Diagnostic Facilities or the Medical Services Commission. When applying for a Certificate of Approval, facilities must provide a list of all medical practitioners who will perform and bill MSP for the services applied for, if the application is approved.

Once a facility is approved, AOP forms must be submitted for those physicians intending to bill MSP for provision of the approved outpatient services.

Certain diagnostic services or fee codes require additional physician credentialing* before they can be performed and billed to MSP. Completion of an AOP form is the responsibility of the practicing physician and the facility’s departmental Medical Director who must ensure all conditions (of an approval/Certificate of Approval) are met prior to submitting an AOP and/or billing MSP.

AOP forms are submitted through a secure upload tool and received and processed by Health Insurance BC.

Due to electronic systems security requirements, the Ministry of Health requires user authentication when submitting  AOP and related forms.

*Note:  “credentialing” refers to the provincial standard established as a requirement to perform and bill a particular outpatient service or fee code. Physicians are required to verify compliance with such standards in order to bill for the corresponding service or fee code.  Credentialing does not consider hospital/facility requirements for privileging or reappointment.  Health authorities are responsible for credentialing any physician working within that organization (i.e., with privileges at a health authority facility).  For physicians working fully outside the health authority system (e.g. employed solely at a community imaging clinic), credentialing is managed through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.

HIBC AOP Responsibilities

HIBC will

HIBC will not

Contact submitters if anything is incomplete or incorrect on the form. As an AOP form is a legal document, any changes or corrections must be authorized with appropriate signature. Contact submitters if practitioner credentialing confirmation is required but not provided with the AOP. In this situation, the AOP will have to be resubmitted with appropriate credentialing confirmation. Provide email confirmation when full processing of an AOP form has been completed.  Address AOP questions/inquiries sent to: HIBC.AOP@gov.bc.ca

Process AOP forms that are not submitted with all required information (i.e. confirmation of credentialing, as required). Open any attachments sent to HIBC.AOP@gov.bc.ca.  Provide any override of late billing/claims without approval of the Ministry of Health.

Communication with HIBC:

• For inquires and communication with HIBC processing agents contact HIBC.AOP@gov.bc.ca. This email address can be used for communication, questions and general inquiries.
• NO ATTACHMENTS may be sent to HIBC.AOP@gov.bc.ca. HIBC is unable to open attachments due to privacy stipulations. All attachments must be sent through the appropriate AOP Secure Upload tool.
• Reaching HIBC by telephone:  Dial 1-866-456-6950
  • hold for options to be presented; then select:
  • Option 3 (provider services)
    • Option 3 again (Assignment of Payment)
      • Option 4 (To confirm a Diagnostic Practitioner Facility Connection)
      • Then press a key to continue with inputting the Facility Number OR 
      • Stay on the line (for anything else) – this will ring through to an agent 
• Assignment of Payment Form (PDF, 529KB)
• Health Authority Owned Facilities – AOP Secure Upload Tool
• Privately Owned Facilities – AOP Secure Upload Tool