EDMONTON – Critics are sounding off after members of the province’s Progressive Conservative party voted to look at bringing back health care premiums over the weekend.
Alberta’s Tories decided to scrap the controversial fee in 2008. It saved individuals just over $500 a year, and families twice that much. But it cost the government about a billion dollars in lost revenue.
Now with the provincial pocketbooks not as full, a resolution was passed at the Tory party convention in Red Deer, to reverse that decision.
Potential reason behind the vote?
“A lot of Albertans approached me about this issue and not so much about, I think, whether there should be health care premiums or not, but they’re very conscious of the fact that health care is a major cost in our budget,” said Health Minister Fred Horne.
“I think a lot of people feel Albertans value health care more, perhaps, when they make a small contribution. But I can tell you as a minister, it has not been a major issue in the two years I’ve been minister.”
The resolution isn’t binding, and is one of 21 proposed policy changes passed at this year’s convention. But that isn’t stopping Premier Alison Redford’s political opponents from voicing their disapproval.
Opposition parties sound off
“I have to say I’m looking at that resolution thinking, ‘who is this PC party? A couple years ago they eliminated health care premiums, and rightly so. It was an unfair tax that fell most unfairly on those who could least afford it,” said Wildrose Opposition leader, Danielle Smith.
“We have enough money to run the health system,” added Alberta Liberal leader, Raj Sherman. “But the money is being mismanaged. The system is being mismanaged.”
NDP leader Brian Mason thinks provincial revenue could be brought in differently: by eliminating Alberta’s flat tax. He feels the tax is not fair for lower and middle class families, and believes health premiums were even worse.
Political scientist weighs in
“It’s the sort of measure that’s going to hit lower and middle income Albertans much harder than it is the wealthy,” echoed University of Alberta political scientist Ian Urquhart.
“I think there’s an appetite in the Conservatives, judging by the resolutions, for some sort of look at the structure of taxation in Alberta,” he continued.
“What we should expect to see is government will pick, they will cherry pick among the resolutions – either to deny them, to reject them, or to support them – according to what the government’s political agenda is.”
Government responds
Finance Minister Doug Horner kept it short and sweet when addressing the matter during Monday’s question period at the Legislature.
“We will not be introducing health care premiums, Mr. Speaker,” he said.
The Health Minister says the government is interested in what party members have to say, however, money isn’t the problem.
“We have the best funded system in the country,” said Horne. “We actually have a better funded system than some developed countries… The issue has been, ‘how do we organize that investment to deliver the best possible value for Albertans, things like shorter waiting time, access to a family physician.”
Since it was put forward by the party, the health premium resolution will need to be examined by the government. So will the other 20 resolutions, which include the creation of new incentives for bitumen upgrading, and a review of post-secondary funding.
How long it will take for that process to be complete, though, is not known.
With files from Fletcher Kent and Shannon Greer, Global News
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