Alberta has introduced a regulation allowing patients to pay privately for diagnostic screening and testing without a doctor's referral [1].
This shift introduces a self-pay model into the provincial health system. By allowing a private market for services such as mammograms and cardiovascular tests, the government aims to divert some patient volume away from the public system to shorten wait times for those using publicly funded services [1, 2].
The regulation came into force on July 1, 2024 [2]. Under the new rules, individuals can bypass the traditional requirement of a physician's request if they are willing to pay the full cost of the diagnostic procedure out of pocket [1, 3].
Adriana LaGrange, Alberta's Primary and Preventative Health Services Minister, said the change will help create additional capacity in the health-care system [1]. She said that because individuals would be paying out of pocket for tests, a private market will emerge to create additional capacity in the health-care system [2].
The provincial government believes that increasing the number of available testing slots through private investment will alleviate pressure on existing facilities. A spokesperson for the Alberta Health Ministry said the new self-pay lane gives Albertans more choice and faster access to needed tests [3].
These changes target specific diagnostic tools that often have significant backlogs. By creating a parallel path for those who can afford it, the province intends to expand the overall volume of screenings performed within the region without relying solely on government funding [1, 2].
“"This change will help create additional capacity in our health‑care system."”
The move represents a significant shift toward a two-tiered health system in Alberta. While the government argues that private spending increases overall capacity and reduces public queues, critics of such models often suggest it may prioritize those with financial means. The success of this policy will depend on whether private clinics actually expand their infrastructure or simply divert existing public resources to paying clients.
