Alberta's Third Way

Today Alberta has unveiled its first glimpse of what is new health care will look like. Much like the Quebec plan, it plans to expand the number of procedures one can buy private health insurance and plans to go even further by allowing doctors to work in both the public and private systems. While these plans are controversial, I believe it is a step in the right direction. Our health care system is eating up way too large a share of our budget, so we must look at alternatives including the establishment of a parallel private system. My only concern is that doctors who work in both the public and private systems have strict limits on how long they can work in the private system. I would prefer that they be required to work as many hours as they do now in the public system and only be allowed to work overtime in the private system unless they completely opt out. For example if a doctors works 40 hours in the public system, but then decides they went to put in an extra 20 hours in the private system, I see nothing wrong here. In most jobs, you cannot fail to show up for your shift to work at another job, however there is nothing to stop one from working at another job once their shift is over, so I see no reason why this shouldn't apply to doctors. Also all doctors working in the private system should be required to work in stand alone private clinics, otherwise no use of public facilities or adjoining facilities to a public facility. I know some morally object to the idea of the rich jumping the queue, but lets remember there is no system anywhere in the World where the rich don't get quicker service. It is regrettable, but it already happens as they always have the option of going south of the border so I would much rather they jump the queue here in Canada then go to the United States. As for what the federal government should do, I really don't think it matters is Alberta has a large enough surplus they could always opt out of the national health care program, which is perfectly legal. The Canada Health Act doesn't prohibit a parallel private system, it only says provinces who violate the act won't get federal funding, but all provinces have the right to forgo federal funding.

As a side note I was glad to hear Liberal leadership potential Martin Cauchon thinks we should stop treating health care as a sacred cow and be open to debate on how to improve the system. While he didn't say how he wants to change it, if it all, I do think we need a rationale debate on health care, rather than simple fearmongering. He is not my first choice for Liberal leader, but certainly this is a debate that every party ought to have regardless of what position they formally take.