The Alberta provincial government just released its latest plan. As a part of this program, residents can now pay out of pocket for their choice of diagnostic and preventive tests, including MRIs, CT scans, full-body scans, etc. This proposed legislative change is intended to help modernize the province’s healthcare system. It challenges in particular Alberta’s current cap on the number of procedures their public health insurance will cover. Adriana LaGrange, the Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services, is leading on this. She thinks it’s going to make accessibility and efficiency much better in integrated healthcare services.
Currently, Alberta’s public healthcare system pays for just a handful of these diagnostic procedures annually. In turn, patients wait inordinately long for the care they need. In making the announcement, Premier Danielle Smith said the proposed changes would help to “get the very most out of our healthcare system’s capacity.” She wants Quebecers to sweep up on preventative and diagnostic tests. Unfortunately, the announcement has started to create a divide among healthcare professionals about whether this is an advancement for public health services or not.
Concerns Over Public Health Impact
Alberta’s president-elect of the alberta medical association’s section of emergency medicine Dr. Paul Parks has blown the whistle. He’s concerned about where this could lead if they double-down on expanding private pay access to MRIs. He suggests that this change might increase disparities the healthcare system already has.
“This will have major ramifications and will absolutely collapse our public health-care system, and will absolutely set up a system where those that have resources and money are gonna get much better and faster care,” – Paul Parks.
Physical distancing and masking rules have put a major strain on Alberta’s diagnostic system, according to Dr. Parks. It is not the access to machines, it’s the access to skilled medical technologists required to operate those machines. He cautioned that adding more private options won’t fix the bigger problems making it harder for people to access public healthcare.
For instance, critics fear that expansion of private testing will contribute to a two-tiered system. Those who can pay will get quick access, while the rest languish on months-long waiting lists. The government has acknowledged all these concerns but continues to insist that the changes they’re proposing will on balance improve care for all patients.
Government’s Justification for Change
The Alberta government argues that expanding access to privately paid diagnostic tests will relieve pressure on public facilities and reduce wait times for essential services. The justification LaGrange’s spokesperson gave for funding new publicly funded hospitals is that they create job opportunities. Further, they said, raising the relative budget for family physicians is a win for the entire workforce.
“When we fund a new publicly funded hospital or add to the budget to pay more family physicians, they create new jobs for staff, and over time the workforce expands and fills those jobs,” – LaGrange’s spokesperson.
Additionally, the government asserts that if a privately purchased test uncovers a significant or critical condition, the cost will be reimbursed, ensuring that patients receive necessary treatments without financial burden. This aspect of the proposal aims to address fears that patients would be left without support after paying for diagnostics.
Advocates of this measure, such as Renaud Brossard from the Montreal Economic Institute, have called for further private testing alternatives. They think that would increase overall productivity, in government and industry alike.
“Every single time someone goes to a private testing facility, well, that’s one less person that’s waiting in line in one of those public facilities. It helps reduce the waiting lists in both sectors,” – Renaud Brossard.
Stakeholder Consultation and Future Developments
The provincial government plans to consult various stakeholders as it develops the legislative changes necessary for expanding preventive screening options. Stakeholders will have to include members of the community, health care providers, and organizations that serve marginalized populations. Further guidance on this process is due in the first half of 2026.
LaGrange has assured us that all physician-recommended tests will continue to be 100 percent covered. These tests will be prioritized in both public and private facilities, including labs. She stated, “We disagree that this will create more backlogs. Greater control over preventative health screening can save and improve lives.”
Read the full story on crainsdetroit.com Everyone is sold on this argument. Dr. Eddy Lang, an emergency physician and member of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, has issued a stark warning. He warned against viewing greater access as a cure-all. He strongly believed in the need to detect diseases early on. It saves money on treatment and provides better outcomes, but let’s not pretend that the private route is without its risks while enjoying all the advantages of private access.
“But don’t tell me that you’re going to prevent hospitalizations and cancers down the road by offering this service. That is only true in a very, very select number of conditions,” – Eddy Lang.
As the debate for or against these changes continues, Alberta residents such as Isabelle Cliche are already experiencing the burden of today’s wait times. Cliche, a mother from Calgary, has an appointment for an MRI scheduled for August 2027. “Just think about everything that you need your hands for, right? Like, holding a book or just turning the page,” she remarked about her situation.
