{"id":850,"date":"2025-12-01T23:34:28","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T23:34:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.petal-health.com\/?p=850"},"modified":"2026-04-15T18:29:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T18:29:31","slug":"alberta-health-cheat-sheet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petal-health.com\/en\/blog\/physicians\/alberta-health-cheat-sheet\/","title":{"rendered":"Alberta virtual care billing codes cheat sheet and AHCIP checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Key takeaways<\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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  1. Virtual care is here to stay:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0In Alberta, virtual visits jumped from 4% pre-pandemic to 60%, and billing codes have evolved to support this shift.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>
  2. AHCIP now includes virtual care codes:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Physicians can bill for assessments, consultations, and psychotherapy via phone or video, but strict rules apply.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>
  3. Compliance matters:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Document start\/stop times, follow minimum time requirements, and know which codes have limitations to avoid claim reductions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    As technology improves and patient expectations evolve, virtual care is expected to remain a core part of healthcare delivery in Canada. But for\u00a0<\/span>physicians in Alberta<\/span>, one\u00a0<\/span>critical\u00a0<\/span>question\u00a0<\/span>remains<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span><\/span>how do you bill for virtual care under AHCIP?<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

    COVID-19 changed healthcare in countless ways, but one of the most lasting shifts has been the rise of <\/span>virtual care<\/span><\/b>. During the pandemic, many physicians integrated virtual visits into their practice and dedicated virtual care platforms grew rapidly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Medical billing for virtual care in\u00a0<\/span>Alberta<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>K<\/span>ey changes<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span> <\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Before the pandemic, one of the biggest barriers to virtual care adoption was the\u00a0<\/span>limited billing options under Alberta\u2019s public health insurance plan (AHCIP)<\/span><\/b>. While challenges\u00a0remain, Alberta Health has introduced\u00a0<\/span>specific virtual care billing codes<\/span><\/b>\u00a0to make\u00a0remuneration\u00a0possible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

    In this guide,\u00a0we\u2019ll\u00a0break down:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>