The Alberta government said it is ensuring doctors have stable and predictable funding so they can focus on providing high-quality health care..A law allowing the government to terminate its agreement with the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) will be repealed if proposed legislation is passed. Bill 4, the Alberta Health Care Insurance Amendment Act, would repeal Section 40.2 of the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act (AHCIA)..Bill 21 (Ensuring Fiscal Sustainability Act) amended the AHCIA to add section 40.2 in 2019. .This section of the health care insurance act allows the government to terminate compensation-related agreements with the AMA..Alberta's government said removing Section 40.2 would give the province's doctors confidence that their funding is consistent throughout the contract. This will allow them to continue growing their business to meet the changing needs of their patients..“Alberta has the best front-line health-care workers in the world, and we will work to have the right supports in place to ensure Albertans get the care they need when and where they need it," said Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping. ."Repealing this legislation is part of our commitment to rebuild our relationship with physicians and we’re taking immediate action to fulfil that promise.”.As part of the new agreement with the AMA, Alberta's government committed to introduce legislation to repeal Section 40.2. In response, the AMA has agreed to stop its lawsuit against the government without seeking costs once the legislation receives royal assent..Alberta's government says collaboration with the AMA continues as the new agreement is implemented. This includes lifting the daily visit services cap so there won’t be a daily cap on the number of visit services a physician can fully bill..The Alberta government is working with the AMA to implement a 1% rate increase for 2022-23 and a 1% recognition lump sum payment for physicians' significant contributions during the pandemic in 2021-22..The new four-year agreement with the AMA will see the government spend an estimated $750 million to stabilize the health care system. This includes $260 million in targeted funding to address pressures, including physician recruitment and retention programs so more Albertans can access family doctors, and more support for practice viability..Bill 4, the Alberta Health Care Insurance Amendment Act, 2022, would repeal Section 40.2 of the AHCIA..If passed, this will:.Remove Government’s mechanism for terminating the new AMA AgreementLegislation no longer required given terms of the new AMA agreement; andProcess and timelines for negotiating amending/successor agreement..Other agreement highlights include:.Guaranteed increase of 4% (3% in rates, 1% one-time payment) over term: Heavily weighted to specialties facing greatest pressures and no market correction of rates in first 3 years; potential adjustments in year 4.Certainty on a minimum physician spending in years three and four.Alberta's government stated the new agreement puts a strong priority on primary health care, including a sliding scale of rate increases with the highest increases for family physicians at 5.2%. With additional targeted spending including new supports for rural physician recruitment, spending on family medicine overall will increase by 8% over three years..It provides additional $45 million to physicians (approx. $4,000 per physician)..“We appreciate this swift action to repeal Section 40.2," said AMA President Fredrykka Rinaldi.."This process will encourage renewed collaboration to serve Albertans and our health-care system." .Concerned residents of Cold Lake recently voiced their opinions to the Western Standard about the lack of doctors in the Lakeland. ."This agreement actually does have a focus on supporting programs to try and retain doctors in rural areas," Jason Copping told the Western Standard.."There's an additional $50 million for physician recruitment retention, an additional $12 million for the northern program." .Copping said he believes this agreement will assist Alberta's government in recruiting doctors for rural Alberta and he hears rural areas loud and clear.."I had the opportunity to speak with over 100 people in approximately 20 different communities and almost 40 workshops about what's working, what's not working, how we improve it," he said..“Despite weeks of anticipation, Albertans still don’t have answers to key questions such as when people will receive some of these benefits, in particular, the $100 a month," Alberta NDP Finance Critic Shannon Phillips said..“Clearly, the UCP government does not have their act together and their plan is extremely back-of-the-napkin. This package of initiatives leaves out two million Albertans, which points to the UCP’s lack of competence, professionalism and any real understanding of their actions and how they impact the lives of ordinary people.
The Alberta government said it is ensuring doctors have stable and predictable funding so they can focus on providing high-quality health care..A law allowing the government to terminate its agreement with the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) will be repealed if proposed legislation is passed. Bill 4, the Alberta Health Care Insurance Amendment Act, would repeal Section 40.2 of the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act (AHCIA)..Bill 21 (Ensuring Fiscal Sustainability Act) amended the AHCIA to add section 40.2 in 2019. .This section of the health care insurance act allows the government to terminate compensation-related agreements with the AMA..Alberta's government said removing Section 40.2 would give the province's doctors confidence that their funding is consistent throughout the contract. This will allow them to continue growing their business to meet the changing needs of their patients..“Alberta has the best front-line health-care workers in the world, and we will work to have the right supports in place to ensure Albertans get the care they need when and where they need it," said Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping. ."Repealing this legislation is part of our commitment to rebuild our relationship with physicians and we’re taking immediate action to fulfil that promise.”.As part of the new agreement with the AMA, Alberta's government committed to introduce legislation to repeal Section 40.2. In response, the AMA has agreed to stop its lawsuit against the government without seeking costs once the legislation receives royal assent..Alberta's government says collaboration with the AMA continues as the new agreement is implemented. This includes lifting the daily visit services cap so there won’t be a daily cap on the number of visit services a physician can fully bill..The Alberta government is working with the AMA to implement a 1% rate increase for 2022-23 and a 1% recognition lump sum payment for physicians' significant contributions during the pandemic in 2021-22..The new four-year agreement with the AMA will see the government spend an estimated $750 million to stabilize the health care system. This includes $260 million in targeted funding to address pressures, including physician recruitment and retention programs so more Albertans can access family doctors, and more support for practice viability..Bill 4, the Alberta Health Care Insurance Amendment Act, 2022, would repeal Section 40.2 of the AHCIA..If passed, this will:.Remove Government’s mechanism for terminating the new AMA AgreementLegislation no longer required given terms of the new AMA agreement; andProcess and timelines for negotiating amending/successor agreement..Other agreement highlights include:.Guaranteed increase of 4% (3% in rates, 1% one-time payment) over term: Heavily weighted to specialties facing greatest pressures and no market correction of rates in first 3 years; potential adjustments in year 4.Certainty on a minimum physician spending in years three and four.Alberta's government stated the new agreement puts a strong priority on primary health care, including a sliding scale of rate increases with the highest increases for family physicians at 5.2%. With additional targeted spending including new supports for rural physician recruitment, spending on family medicine overall will increase by 8% over three years..It provides additional $45 million to physicians (approx. $4,000 per physician)..“We appreciate this swift action to repeal Section 40.2," said AMA President Fredrykka Rinaldi.."This process will encourage renewed collaboration to serve Albertans and our health-care system." .Concerned residents of Cold Lake recently voiced their opinions to the Western Standard about the lack of doctors in the Lakeland. ."This agreement actually does have a focus on supporting programs to try and retain doctors in rural areas," Jason Copping told the Western Standard.."There's an additional $50 million for physician recruitment retention, an additional $12 million for the northern program." .Copping said he believes this agreement will assist Alberta's government in recruiting doctors for rural Alberta and he hears rural areas loud and clear.."I had the opportunity to speak with over 100 people in approximately 20 different communities and almost 40 workshops about what's working, what's not working, how we improve it," he said..“Despite weeks of anticipation, Albertans still don’t have answers to key questions such as when people will receive some of these benefits, in particular, the $100 a month," Alberta NDP Finance Critic Shannon Phillips said..“Clearly, the UCP government does not have their act together and their plan is extremely back-of-the-napkin. This package of initiatives leaves out two million Albertans, which points to the UCP’s lack of competence, professionalism and any real understanding of their actions and how they impact the lives of ordinary people.
