Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government will allow some physicians to offer privately paid surgical procedures while also working in the publicly funded system beginning in September.
It’s inviting surgeons to apply this summer to be able to charge patients for elective procedures like hip and knee replacements outside their publicly funded practice.
Surgical Services Minister Adriana LaGrange says the status quo isn’t working as too many Albertans are sitting in the queue too long to get surgery.
She says the change will attract doctors, increase capacity and cut down waits by allowing some patients to choose a paid option close to home.
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The contentious move, announced last year, has drawn concern from the Opposition NDP and public health advocates who say it will degrade an already under-resourced public system, and is fundamentally unfair.
NDP critic Sharif Haji says the government should properly fund the health-care system — including staffing under-used operating rooms — rather than moving towards a two-tier system.
Key details, like the minimum hours in public facilities a doctor must work to be eligible, are yet to be determined.
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LaGrange says there will be no privately paid emergency or life-threatening procedures, including cancer-care treatment.
Best news i have heard in years. It is about time!!! Those who can pay- go to it!! It will shorten the queue for people waiting. Know many people who wait in pain for years to get hip/ knee done. By that time. Other problems develop due to hobbling and favoring painful joint. Such as back etc. Crippled. Many more problems arrise from wait. If u can afford to pay. Why not? Why go to another province so they can collect the taxes/ hst/ gst to put in their coffers. As well as stays/ hotels/ service industry benefits. Y not in your own province??? Makes sense.
Where is the convoy to AB legislature?
Like BC, Sask, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Sounds good.
50 years ago Alberta lost millions in transfer payment because the province was too cheap to pay Doctors a fair rate so people had to pay for many services out of pocket (at the time it was called Extra Billing). Heath Canada is sure to step in again. When will Smith realize this is not the US even tho that appears to be her goal.
Under the Canada Health Act, private for profit health care is illegal.
It is also anti-Canadian, and anti-Albertan. We have made it clear to Smith and the UCP that we do not want 2 tier health care, where those who are rich get priority over the rest of us.
That is what they have in the US. WE DO NOT WANT IT! – we have advised her of that many times. But she is the Queen of Alberta and can do what she pleases. – time for new government – ASAP
This government will do everything to confuse, complicate, and take away any sense of logic. Things will only get worse.