Doctors and health care advocates concerned about Alberta’s two-tiered health care legislation
Ottawa, March 5, 2026 – A coalition of 23 health and labour organizations have joined together to express concern over Alberta’s Health Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2), referred to as Bill 11 at its introduction.
The Alberta legislature passed the Health Statutes Amendment Act (No. 2) on December 18, 2025. This Act establishes “dual practice.” It allows physicians to both bill the government for publicly-funded patient care and patients privately for the same medically-necessary and publicly insured services. Dual practice has not been permitted in Canada due to the negative impacts on access to care.
Currently, every province except Ontario allows physicians to “opt-out” of the public system. Outside of Quebec, very few physicians engage in this practice because of the financial risk. Few patients are willing to pay privately for services that can be accessed free of charge through their public health care plans. Dual practice would enable physicians to ration care, based on ability to pay.
“Alberta is on the cusp of US-style two-tiered health care system” says Dr. Danyaal Raza, Past-Chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare. “As a family doctor physician, I work every day to help patients navigate a struggling health care system. A two-tiered system that delivers faster care to patients who can afford to pay will only pull health care providers away from publicly funded care, making wait times worse for those who cannot or will not pay to skip the line.”
There is no convincing evidence that private-pay health care reduces overall wait times. In fact, the opposite is true; Australia and the United Kingdom saw unchanged or increased wait times for publicly-funded patients after introducing parallel private-pay.
"The Canada Health Act specifies that health care should be publicly administered and universal," says Jason MacLean, Chair of the Canadian Health Coalition.
"The Canadian Health Coalition is extremely concerned that Bill 11 in Alberta violates the Act and flies in the face of the best interests of Albertans and all Canadians. This legislation creates a terrible precedent, throwing open the doors to for-profit health care."
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.
"The health system must provide timely, equitable care for all - regardless of one’s ability to pay for service," says CMA Spokesperson Dr. Burnell. "Even small out‑of‑pocket costs deter access to necessary health care for those least able to pay."
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About Canadian Doctors for Medicare
Canadian Doctors for Medicare is a nationwide, evidence-based nonpartisan member organization dedicated to strengthening and preserving Canada’s publicly-funded health care system. We advocate for innovations in treatment and prevention services that are evidence-based and improve access, quality, equity, and sustainability.
About Canadian Health Coalition
The Canadian Health Coalition is a coalition of frontline health care workers’ unions, provincial health coalitions, civil society groups, and researchers, collectively representing roughly 3 million people, dedicated to the preservation and improvement of public health care in Canada.
For more information, please contact:
Zareef Ahmad
National Director, Canadian Doctors for Medicare
[email protected]