The Alberta NDP is sounding the alarm about Calgarians being asked to pay thousands of dollars in membership fees to keep seeing their family doctor.
A medical clinic in Calgary is asking patients for yearly payments upwards of nearly $5,000 for improved health services, according to an email sent Wednesday.
The clinic, Marda Loop Medical Clinic, sent out the email saying that it is “delighted” to offer a comprehensive, proactive healthcare service starting August 1.
“We acknowledge that accessing efficient healthcare has been a persistent challenge for many families, possibly including yours,” said Dr. Sally Talbot-Jones in an email released by the Opposition NDP.
She uses data from StatsCan that indicates 4 out of 5 people who experience challenges accessing healthcare report a negative impact on their lives.
“These difficulties not only affect an individual’s self-esteem, but also their family and work relationships,” Talbot-Jones said.
“In our clinic, we have seen these statistics mirrored, as patients express stress and dissatisfaction due to extended waiting times, multiple visits for separate issues, time off work, and the challenge of scheduling family appointments.”
The benefits include reduced wait times, allowing scheduling options and longer appointments, telemedicine services, monthly chart monitoring with proactive reminders, at-home once-a-year blood tests for adults (the primary member), preventative medical counseling, and collaborative care from its healthcare team.
It also includes sick notes, special authorization forms, physiotherapy notes, and various discounts for skincare products and services.
“In the event you choose not to join, I will continue to provide care one day a week for non-members,” Talbot-Jones added.
“This proactive approach aims to improve your health, save you time, and ultimately enhance your quality of life.”
She claims the perks will lead to better school attendance for children, less time lost from work due to sickness, and a “peace of mind that comes with swift response times to health concerns.”
A two-parent family would have to pay $4,800 each year to be members, couples would pay $4,000, a single parent would pay $2,400, and an individual adult would pay $2,000. A child-only membership without an adult would cost $500.
CityNews’ inquiries about the email and the transition were forwarded to Talbot-Jones, but a response was not received in time for publication.
NDP calls for action from UCP to promise to stop fees
Meanwhile, the NDP is blaming the United Conservative government, saying the clinic is being forced to go the membership route, and it voices concerns that the revenue stream will be “irresistibly attractive” to other clinics.
“They may skirt the outside of the Canada Health Act by offering appointments one day a week without the membership fee so they can argue that all their insured services are still available,” said Luanne Metz, Alberta NDP Critic for Health (Emergency and Surgical Care), to reporters in Calgary.
“But this is giving preferred access to those who pay the fee … and while that might not clearly break the law, we all know that in real life that simply won’t work for people who need to see their family doctor right away on a regular basis.”
Metz says Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange must ensure they plan to stop the fees or say whether they are “quite happy to see Albertans pay out of pocket to see their family doctor.”
“Alberta is at risk for losing health transfers from the federal government if we skirt around the (Canada) Health Act, but it is up to our government to decide if they want to let this happen,” she said.
Meanwhile, the province says it is checking into the clinic and the membership fees.
“The Government of Alberta remains committed to the principles of the Canada Health Act. Albertans don’t have to pay out of pocket for insured health services such as seeing a family doctor or a hospital visit — that won’t change,” Alberta Health spokesman Scott Johnston said in a statement Monday.
“All physicians must also follow standards of practice set by their regulatory colleges. The government will continue to examine these cases to make sure all legislation is being followed.”
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Smith has said multiple times in interviews and in a 2021 paper she wrote for the University of Calgary School of Public Policy that she supports the idea of health spending accounts, leading to concerns and scrutiny on the campaign trail before her election win.
However, Smith has repeatedly said no Albertan would have to pay out of pocket for healthcare, a slogan she touted before the start of the election.
In April, she and the UCP announced a “public-health guarantee,” pledging to stick with publicly-funded health care and not axe any services and prescriptions.
Former premier Jason Kenney did the same thing ahead of the 2019 election, which later drew criticism for his party’s feuding with doctors and nurses.
Smith’s mandate letter to LaGrange urged her to improve the system “within the pillars of the Canada Health Act and, importantly, in alignment with our government’s Public Health Care Guarantee that no Albertan will ever have to pay out of pocket to see their doctor or receive a needed medical treatment.”
Past court cases in B.C. suggest that provincial governments have the authority but not the obligation to prohibit clinic membership fees.
In the meantime, Alberta is working to recruit more doctors and health workers to fill vacancies, particularly in rural and remote areas, to alleviate strain on emergency wards.
-with files from The Canadian Press and Courtney Theriault
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