Public Policy Sources #35:
The Alberta plan

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The essence of the Alberta proposal is contained in the "Policy Statement on the Delivery of Surgical Services" released by Alberta Health in November 1999, on which public comment will be received "before legislation is introduced for the consideration of the Legislature in Spring 2000" ("Policy Statement," 1999). The primary innovation contained in the policy statement is:

4.1 A Regional Health Authority may, subject to the approval of the Minister, contract with a private provider (either profit or not-for-profit) for the provision of surgical services. ("Policy Statement," 1999)

Access to private providers is proposed to follow the same mechanism as current access to public providers:

4.2 Contracted providers are prohibited from charging any fee (including a facility fee) to insured persons for an insured surgical service beyond those set out in the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan. There will be no two-tier medicine and no queue jumping. ("Policy Statement," 1999)

Thus, the proposal is designed to ensure "adherence to the principles of the Canada Health Act" as well as budgetary prudence: ministerial approval of a contract depends on "demonstrated net benefit of the proposed contract, including implications for accessibility and cost effectiveness" ("Policy Statement," 1999). Budgetary prudence would thus enable, in Klein's own words, "better service through more choice" (Klein, 1999).

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Last Modified: Thursday, August 5, 1999.