Pay a bill

If you request and are given a semi or private room, you (or your extended benefits) will be billed for the room at the appropriate room rate. If you have any questions about preferred accommodation billing, call 604-297-8512.

You will be billed for a daily ward rate if you are waiting to transfer to a residential care home. This starts after a 30-day grace period (from the start of your wait) and will continue until your transfer.

Supply or miscellaneous charges include but are not limited to – crutches, casts, splints. These items are not covered by MSP and are items that are billable to the patient. We do not bill extended plans for these charges.

View more information on charges not covered by provincial health care.

In order for your visit to be covered you must have valid provincial medical coverage. If you were billed but have MSP, contact us.

If you do not have coverage or have travel insurance, find more information about fees fornon-residents.

The B.C. Medical Services Plan covers tests that are medically required. Some tests ordered by third parties such as immigration/emigration departments, midwives, nurse practitioners, or naturopaths are not covered by the B.C. Medical Services Plan.

If you feel that you were wrongly billed for a medically required test, contact us.

Bills for BC Ambulance Service are not the responsibility of Providence Health Care. If you have a concern, contact BC Ambulance Service.

The monthly rate for long-term care is based on your most recent tax assessment. Upon admission, the case manager for your facility will complete a financial assessment and determine a monthly billing rate. Only this rate is forwarded to our office for billing.

If your financial circumstances have changed and require a rate review, contact Long-Term Care Contract and Services at your long-term care home.

To set-up, pre-authorized payments, contact us.

If you were sent a bill and believe that there is an issue, contact the case manager responsible for your long-term care home.

When you call 9-1-1 (or someone calls for you) to ask for an ambulance to take you to a hospital:

• If you are taken to a hospital (by ground or air ambulance), you will receive a bill for $80 from the BC Ambulance Service.
• If you decline the ambulance service, you will receive a bill for $50.
• If you receive Income Assistance or MSP Premium Assistance, you will not be charged.
• The information above does not apply to calls that are part of current or future WorkSafeBC claims.

If you must be transferred from your present hospital to another hospital:

• There is no charge for medically necessary transfers between hospitals.
• Note: You will need to make your own travel arrangements to get back home when you leave the hospital, even if you are a long way from home.

You are responsible for your own transportation home (private residence, residential care facility, etc.) when you leave the hospital. Your costs will depend on how much medical supervision you need.

• If you require medical care, you will need to travel by ground or air ambulance (as appropriate) and will be charged $80 (fee waived if on Income Assistance or MSP Premium Assistance).
• If you do not require medical care but are not well enough to travel on private or commercial transport (e.g., bus, plane), then the hospital may recommend that you use a contracted local patient transfer service (SN Transport, etc.). You will be charged $50 (fee waived if on Income Assistance or MSP Premium Assistance).
• If you are well enough to travel by private or commercial transport (e.g., bus, plane), you are responsible for organizing and paying for your journey home, even if you are a long way from home. For example, if you have been transferred by air ambulance to a Vancouver hospital for cardiac surgery, and you are discharged from there, it is your responsibility to organize and pay for your trip home. Some health authorities have travel assistance programs in place for those who require them. For information, please see the section on travel assistance for patients travelling to access medical care outside their home community, as some programs are also available to discharged inpatients returning home, or contact a nurse or social worker in the hospital.
• In the unfortunate circumstance that a family member passes away while in hospital, the family is responsible for organizing and paying to have the deceased returned home. The social worker on the unit can help support the family at this time.

All transfers (e.g., to or from a hospital, between hospitals) will be charged to you if you do not have coverage under MSP.

• If you require medical care along the way and need an ambulance to transport you, you will receive a bill for each section of your transfer based on the type of transport:
  • Ground: $530 flat rate for each part of the transfer
  • Air ambulance (airplane): $7 per statute mile
  • Air ambulance (helicopter): $2,746 per hour
• If you do not require medical care during an inter-hospital transfer, the hospital may elect to use a contracted local patient transfer service (SN Transport, etc.). You will be charged $50.
• If you are well enough to travel by private or commercial transport (e.g., bus, plane) when you leave hospital, it is your responsibility to arrange and pay for your trip, even if you are a long way from home.
• In the unfortunate circumstance that a family member passes away while in hospital, the family is responsible for organizing and paying to have the deceased returned home. The social worker on the unit can help support the family at this time.

(This includes federal programs and private coverage)

• Federal programs (e.g., Veteran Affairs Canada, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada) may cover some of these fees for their clients. You are responsible for checking for possible coverage and reimbursements.
• If you receive a bill and believe you should not be charged due to being a recipient of Income Assistance or MSP Premium Assistance, please contact the BC Ambulance Service (if ambulance fee) or the health authority (if the bill was sent by the health authority).
• Some private plans may assist with the costs of patient transportation (e.g., ICBC, WorkSafeBC, private insurer such as Pacific Blue Cross). Please check with your insurer.
• Some health authorities have hardship policies for supporting patients and their families with these fees. Please contact the Patient Care Quality Office in the health region from where you were discharged to request more information.
• Some health authorities also have travel assistance programs in place for those who require them. For more information, please see the section on travel assistance for patients travelling to access medical care outside their home community, as some programs are also available to discharged inpatients returning home, or contact a nurse or social worker in the hospital.
• When you are charged fees, you will receive a bill in the mail from the BC Ambulance Service or from the health authority from where you were transferred.

This program helps eligible B.C. residents with travel costs for non-emergency care. Through TAP, the ministry partners with BC Ferries and other carriers to provide individuals covered by MSP with transportation discounts when they must travel to access health services. Generally, TAP only supports access to specialty services. However, exceptional situations may arise when primary health care services are not available locally. TAP does not provide direct financial assistance to patients for travel costs.

Learn more

This program provides subsidized accommodation for families when their child requires medical care at BC Children’s Hospital or BC Women’s Hospital Neonatal program. Travel assistance is also provided through enhanced ground transportation for children through the Shriners Care Cruiser program and expanded air transportation through Hope Air – a national charity that arranges free flights for patients of all ages who cannot afford to fly to receive the medical care they require.

Learn more

If you've visited one of our hospitals regarding a Workers' Compensation Board claim from another province, advise the doctor and/or the hospital each time you receive service for this injury so the correct province can be billed on a timely basis.

If you have received a bill, contact the service provider immediately to provide the claim information and have your account updated. Failure to do so may result in your continuing to be responsible for this debt.

If you're covered by another provincial medical plan, have your health care number along with your expiry date (if applicable) so that we can bill your province on your behalf.

If you've received a bill, we may be missing information from you to properly bill your province. Contact us to have this corrected.

Some provincial medical plans have different levels of coverage so you may be billed for some services.

For instance, Quebec does not allow billing for physician services. Residents of Quebec pay the bill first and seek reimbursement from RAMQ with a paid receipt. Check with your province's health website for more information.

If you have recently permanently relocated to B.C., remember to apply for MSP coverage.

Tourists or visitors are not covered by our provincial Medical Services Plan (MSP) and will be billed for health care services.

It is advised that you purchase travel or private insurance. Insurance claims are patient-led and must be started by the patient. Copies of the insurance documents are taken in order to confirm information with the insurance company. Most insurance companies require patients to pay their bills upfront and seek reimbursement. Depending on your insurance plan, you may also need to request a health record for your claim.

To qualify for MSP, you must be a resident of British Columbia. MSP coverage is not automatic and you need to apply for it to get your own B.C. Care Card. Visit the MSP website for more information on eligibility and coverage for study/work permits.

By receiving care at our hospitals (i.e. Emergency Department), you may receive two or more bills. The bills could include more than one doctor or specialist and there may be subsequent bills for medical imaging services.

Physicians' bills are issued by their own offices. Any questions or payments should be directed to the billing address shown on their statement.