Alberta’s UCP government has introduced Bill 11: the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2)—proposed legislation that would allow surgeons to work in both the public and private healthcare systems while charging patients directly for certain privately delivered procedures. While family physicians are not included in the bill, the proposal represents a meaningful shift in Alberta’s healthcare framework.
For healthcare professionals, clinic owners, and medical corporations, these changes raise important questions around income structure, taxation, compliance, and long-term practice planning. Below is a clear breakdown of what may change—and why proactive financial planning matters.
A New Dual Practice Model for Surgeons
If Bill 11 becomes law, surgeons would be permitted to:
- Continue practicing within the public healthcare system, and
- Offer privately paid surgical procedures without the lengthy re-registration process currently required when moving between systems.
According to Alberta’s Minister of Surgical Services, the intent is to improve system flexibility, reduce wait times, and strengthen recruitment and retention by making Alberta more competitive for surgical talent. The government has also noted that some Albertans currently travel out of province for private care, and this framework could keep more of that care and capital within Alberta.
What This Could Mean for Physicians
For surgeons and medical corporations, increased mobility between public and private systems could influence:
- Professional income planning
- Medical corporation structure
- Long-term practice strategy
- Administrative workload
- Capital investment in private facilities
Each of these areas has direct tax, cash flow, and compliance implications, particularly for incorporated physicians or those considering private clinic ownership.
What’s Not Included in the Bill
Despite earlier public comments suggesting family physicians might be included, family doctors are not part of the proposed legislation.
Additionally, the bill explicitly excludes:
- Cancer surgeries
- Emergency surgeries
- Other critical or life-saving procedures
These services would remain fully public, and private surgical facilities would not be permitted to charge for them.
Private Surgical Costs and the Promise of “Guardrails”
The proposed legislation does not place caps on what private clinics may charge for procedures such as hip, knee, or cataract surgeries. Instead, the government has indicated that safeguards would be introduced later through regulation rather than through the legislation itself.
Potential guardrails may include:
- Minimum public-system service requirements for participating surgeons
- Restricting certain specialties to public practice if workforce shortages occur
- Adjusting rules quickly through regulation instead of legislative debate
While this regulatory flexibility allows the government to respond quickly, it also means many operational details remain undefined. For physicians and medical corporations, this uncertainty reinforces the importance of scenario planning, tax strategy alignment, and flexible corporate structures.
How Many Physicians Could Be Affected?
Alberta’s Primary Health Minister has stated that approximately 14 physicians are currently opted out of the public system. Bill 11 would create simpler pathways for these physicians and potentially others to move between practice models without the existing 18-month re-entry process.
If passed, the legislation could influence:
- Physician recruitment and retention
- Compensation and income-splitting strategies
- Incorporation, billing, and payroll structures
- How private surgical facilities plan, invest, and scale
Even for physicians who do not intend to enter private practice, broader system changes can affect competition, compensation norms, and long-term financial planning assumptions.
Have Questions About How This Affects Your Practice?
MMT works closely with healthcare professionals across Alberta and Canada, helping physicians and medical corporations navigate evolving regulatory environments, optimize tax strategies, and plan for long-term financial success—whether in public practice, private practice, or a combination of both.
If you’re considering how Bill 11 could impact your professional income, corporate structure, or future growth plans, contact MMT to discuss how proactive financial planning can help you stay prepared as Alberta’s healthcare landscape continues to evolve.
