“The government of Alberta recently announced legislative changes allowing patients to self-refer and pay out of pocket for diagnostic and testing services covered by publicly funded health care. Alberta subsequently passed Bill 11, which allows physicians to engage in “dual practice” — that is, to work in and bill the public system while also taking on private work and charging other patients directly (https://www.alberta.ca/supporting-a-world-class-health-care-system).
Initially, the focus is on elective surgeries. The Alberta government says the new legislation, which is unique within Canada, is intended to increase flexibility for patients, encourage innovation, and decrease wait times as patients willing to pay out of pocket remove themselves from the public wait-list and physicians choose to move to Alberta to practise.
Other jurisdictions in Canada have experimented with allowing physicians to offer surgeries to patients willing to pay privately, and one-third of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries allow surgeons to work in dual public and private practice. We discuss how such systems have affected access to services.”
Read more on A parallel private-pay system will worsen access to publicly funded surgery via CMAJ.
Family Medicine Residency Site: Abbotsford-Mission 