Alberta health reforms shelved, again

Scant months after introducing their controversial plan to allow doctors to practise in the public and private system simultaneously and to allow Albertans to purchase private insurance to obtain quicker health care service, Alberta's governing Conservatives have been forced to essentially abandon the reforms until they iron out questions surrounding party leadership.

Figure. Ralph Klein's retirement puts “Third Way” health reforms on the shelf. Photo by: Canapress

Skepticism about the merits of proceeding with the plan, both within caucus and the party's rural base; threats from Ottawa to withhold cash transfer payments from the province for violating principles of the Canada Health Act; and the earlier-than-planned retirement of Conservative Premier Ralph Klein combined to sink the proposal to allow simultaneous public and private practice.

Although Klein had vowed to implement the plan before retiring, the tepid endorsement he received as his party's annual general meeting advanced his retirement plans, leaving the thorny issue of whether to proceed with “Third Way” reforms to his successor.

In the meantime, Alberta Health and Wellness spokesperson Howard May says some reforms must proceed. “It's evolution, not revolution. It's a constant process regardless of whether certain items are on or off the table. . . . We're not innovating for the sake of innovation. Pressures will continue to grow so we have to innovate.”

Alberta Health Minister Iris Evans insisted that the “Third Way” isn't dead. Evans told reporters that the government has merely “created an opportunity for Albertans to give us even more feedback.” In the interim, the government plans to move with an “aggressive” workforce policy to recruit more health care workers to help alleviate lengthy wait lists.

Alberta Medical Association President Dr. Tzu-Kuang Lee says human resources measures are desperately needed to address Alberta's estimated shortfall of 1000 specialists and general practitioners. Lee also expressed concerns over the fate of other desperately needed reforms, including measures to promote more rapid computerization of Albertan's medical records. “The big fear we have is that the good parts that will benefit patients, they will be dropped along with the controversial parts.”

Others were elated by the shelving of controversial elements of “Third Way” and hopeful that they'll be forever jettisoned by Klein's successor.

“If you can't make politicians see the light, make them feel the heat,” said Harvey Voogd, co-ordinator for Alberta's Friends of Medicare lobby group, who spent weeks touring rural communities and mustering opposition to privatization. “These politicians felt the heat.”

In a speech March 28, Lee said, “It is only when Medicare fails that physicians are prepared to consider private options,” he said. “The growth of privately funded health care will be determined by the success or the failure of the public health care system.”