The Alberta legislature passed the Health Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2) on December 18, 2025. This Act establishes “dual practice,” allowing physicians to both bill the government for publicly funded patient care and charge patients privately for the same medically necessary, publicly insured services. In practice, this would create a two-tiered health care system. It also opens the door for private insurance companies that are eager to profit from Canadian patients.
Dual practice has not been permitted in Canada because of its negative impacts on access to care. There is no convincing evidence that private-pay health care reduces overall wait times. In countries such as Australia and the United Kingdom, wait times remained unchanged or even increased after parallel private-pay systems were introduced. The Cambie Surgeries Corporation trial at the British Columbia Supreme Court reviewed evidence and testimony over four years and ultimately concluded that “there is clear evidence that wait times would not improve with the introduction of duplicative private health care.”
Taking Action: National Letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Health
Signed and endorsed by 23 national and provincial organizations
On March 3, 2026, Canadian Doctors for Medicare has sent a letter to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health expressing concern about Alberta’s Health Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), introduced as Bill 11. The letter has been signed and endorsed by a coalition of 23 national and provincial health and labour organizations. Check out the letter at the bottom of the page or by clicking here.
Press Conference on Parliament Hill: Doctors and health care advocates concerned about Alberta’s two-tiered health care legislation
On March 5, 2026, CDM organized a press conference on Parliament Hill with the Canadian Health Coalition, the Canadian Medical Association and Alberta-based physician Dr. Braden Manns. Click here to watch the press conference recording. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of Health Majorie Michel have an urgent duty to act and enforce the Canada Health Act so that patients across Canada are protected from private charges for medically-necessary care.
We are asking the federal government to:
- Conduct a formal Canada Health Act compliance review of Alberta’s Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2);
- Urge the Government of Alberta to pause implementation of Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2) while its impacts are assessed by Health Canada’s legal team and independent national experts;
- Use the full range of federal tools available, including discretionary penalties permitted under the CHA.