US EditionAlberta gov’t mulls plan to allow doctors to work publicly, privately or both, according to reporting
Alberta plans a unique model letting doctors work publicly, privately, or both, sparking debate over equity and possible longer wait times, says Canadian Medical Association.
- Premier Danielle Smith's government has prepared draft amendments creating three physician categories—public, private, and toggling—while draft 11 dated Nov. 5 shows plans to permit parallel private services.
- Just last week, Alberta announced plans to expand private surgical centres to shorten wait lists, with the Montreal Economic Institute urging replication of Denmark's model to ease access and retain doctors.
- The draft says the new 'flexibly-participating' doctors would decide case-by-case to provide public or private care and require private-practice doctors to disclose charges and obtain written patient consent.
- Family physician Danyaal Raza warned that the draft changes would violate the Canada Health Act and could risk Canada Health Transfer funding, while Health Canada and Marjorie Michel's office engage with Alberta Tuesday.
- No other Canadian province allows physicians to toggle between systems, and critics including Friends of Medicare and Naheed Nenshi warn the plan risks 'two-tiered' care and longer waits, with Burnell stating, `The evidence from around the world is clear: where a parallel private health system operates, both health outcomes and access to care are worse`.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Debate takes place at Alberta legislature over private versus public health care
At the legislature Tuesday, the Alberta government and the Opposition debated the possibility of a hybrid health-care model that could allow people to see doctors via the public system or by paying out of pocket in a private system. Travis McEwan looks at the debate and how the model could impact health-care issues like wait times.
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Alberta government eyes legal changes to let physicians work publicly and privately
The Alberta cabinet minister in charge of primary care says legislation is coming - but won't provide details - amid reports the province plans to let doctors work in the public and private health systems simultaneously as they see fit. "I can't speak to the specifics of legislation before it g...
Alberta’s plan to let doctors work publicly and privately worries critics, health-care advocates
The Canadian Medical Association, which represents doctors nationwide, says Albertans will be left waiting longer to access health care if the province moves forward with the plan.
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