The response to such schemes is reflected in a greater polarization in the Alberta society and increased political activism. The success of these regulations will depend on how they are enforced and who is enforcing them. Yes unless Bill 11 is amended. Bill 11 allows physicians to sell private services and prostheses at the time a publicly insured service is delivered. It also allows RHAs to continue to charge for certain enhanced services.
Most patients listen to their doctors and act on their advice.
Under Bill 11 public medicare insurance fails to provide the coverage required to meet the health needs of the population as defined by their doctors. The only way for Albertans to dodge the private insurance bullet is to seek amendments to Bill 11 which either ban the sale of non-medically required services and prostheses outright or limit their sale to a highly restricted set of services and prostheses which are reviewed by a medical services committee with strong public representation. Public medical insurance worked well for decades without Principle 11. Provincial health insurance plan officials resolved service coverage differences with medical providers. Shifting areas of disagreement between the two parties over to the poorly informed, sick and ill members of society to resolve when they meet their physician is not in the public interest.