Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to intervene in Alberta’s health-care reforms, arguing the UCP government’s proposed dual-practice model risks violating the Canada Health Act.In a letter sent June 19, Nenshi asked Carney to have federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel immediately review the Alberta government’s approach to allowing more private delivery in the health system.Nenshi said the Canada Health Act requires medically necessary services to be accessible based on need, not ability to pay.“Alberta’s public health-care system is being steadily eroded by the UCP government as they barrel forward with their plans to introduce a two-tier, American-style, for-profit system here in our province,” Nenshi said.He argued the province’s plan lacks basic safeguards, including clear limits on how doctors would divide their time between the public and private systems.Nenshi also raised concerns about allowing privately paid care inside public hospitals, saying it could lead to preferential treatment, queue-jumping and reduced public trust.“Their plan is missing the most basic safeguards,” Nenshi said.“There are no clear limits on how doctors divide their time between public and private care, they’re opening the door to privately paid care inside public hospitals, and they still haven’t set out a clear, workable framework for how any of this is supposed to function.”Nenshi said Alberta’s health-care system is already under pressure and warned poorly defined reforms could make the situation worse..He said any changes must align with the Canada Health Act, include enforceable physician practice ratios and prohibit measures that allow inequitable access to care.“At a minimum, any reforms must be demonstrably aligned with the Canada Health Act, include enforceable practice ratios, and prohibit measures that would allow inequitable access to care,” Nenshi wrote.The Edmonton-Strathcona MLA said the Alberta NDP will continue to oppose what he called health-care privatization and fight for a public system that provides care regardless of income.“Albertans deserve care they can rely on, when and where they need it,” Nenshi said.
