Alberta’s UCP government has introduced Bill 11: the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2)—legislation that would allow surgeons to operate in both the public and private systems while charging patients directly for certain privately delivered procedures. While family doctors are not included in the proposed changes, the bill represents a significant shift in Alberta’s healthcare landscape.
For healthcare professionals, practice owners, and medical corporations, understanding the potential financial, regulatory, and operational impacts is essential. Below is a clear breakdown of what may change if this bill becomes law.
Under the proposed legislation, surgeons could:
According to Surgical Services Minister Matt Jones, the goal is to increase flexibility, reduce wait times, and improve recruitment and retention by making Alberta a more competitive destination for medical professionals. The province’s position is that dual practice could broaden patient choice—particularly for Albertans who currently travel out of province for private care.
Premier Danielle Smith had previously suggested family doctors might be part of this framework. However, family physicians are not included in the proposed legislation.
Cancer surgeries, emergency surgeries, and other critical operations would remain fully public, and private surgical facilities would be legally unable to charge for those procedures.
The bill does not cap the prices private clinics may charge for procedures such as hip, knee, or cataract surgeries. Instead, the government has stated that future regulations, created outside the legislation, will establish safeguards designed to protect public care.
These safeguards may include:
This regulatory flexibility gives the government the ability to “be nimble,” as Primary Health Minister Adriana LaGrange stated, but it also means many operational details remain unknown. For medical corporations and practice owners, this uncertainty highlights the importance of proactive financial and tax planning.
Minister LaGrange noted that roughly 14 Alberta physicians are currently opted out of the public system. Bill 11 would create easier pathways for these physicians, and potentially others, to move between practice models without an 18-month re-entry process.
If passed, the legislation could influence:
MMT works closely with healthcare professionals across Alberta and Canada, helping them navigate complex regulatory environments, optimize their tax position, and plan for long-term financial success, whether in public practice, private practice, or both.
