The Alberta government will allow patients to pay for elective surgeries through a new dual-practice model starting this fall [1].
This shift represents a significant change to the province's healthcare delivery. By allowing physicians to operate in both public and private capacities, the government aims to reduce long surgical wait times that have affected patient access to care [2].
Under the new system, eligible physicians and surgeons can offer privately paid elective procedures while remaining members of the public health system [1, 2]. This model allows doctors to toggle between public and private payment structures for specific surgeries [3].
Premier Danielle Smith and the provincial government said that the current status quo is not working for residents [2]. The administration believes that providing a private payment option will offer Albertans faster access to necessary elective procedures [1, 2].
The dual-practice model is scheduled to launch in September 2026 [1, 4]. This timeline allows the province to integrate the payment structures and identify the eligible surgeons who will participate in the program [4].
The move focuses specifically on elective surgeries, which are planned procedures that are not immediate emergencies. By shifting some of this volume to a paid model, the province expects to alleviate pressure on the public system [2].
Government officials said the initiative is a response to the growing demand for surgical services in Alberta [1]. The program will operate alongside the existing public system to ensure that the core infrastructure of provincial healthcare remains intact, while introducing a tiered access point for those able to pay [2, 5].
“Albertans will be able to pay for elective surgeries this fall”
The introduction of a dual-practice model in Alberta marks a departure from a strictly single-payer approach for elective care. While it intends to clear surgical backlogs, it creates a two-tiered system where financial means can determine the speed of access to surgery. The success of the program will depend on whether the shift actually reduces public wait times or primarily diverts surgical talent toward private patients.
