Alberta Healthcare, health insurance, third Way

PC leadership candidate, Jim Dinning was correct to suggest Alberta could be the envy of the world when it came to our provincial education system.  It is also correct to suggest, Alberta could be the envy of the world when it comes to our health-care system.

Alberta is in a desirable position.  With no provincial debt sucking money out of the system, a soaring economy, and huge annual surpluses, Alberta can and arguably should position itself as the world leader in health-care reform.

It is wasteful and counterproductive to pour a never-ending flow of tax dollars into a badly flawed monopoly system.  Yet, this is where Alberta currently sits.

The now defunct Alberta Health Policy Framework, better known as the "Third Way", wasn’t perfect.  No piece of policy is.  However, the "Third Way" would have enabled Alberta to experiment with many of the programs, services and policies that are currently very successful in Europe.  For example; successes of involving the private sector in the delivery of health-care can be seen in countries like, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Singapore and Britain. The "Third Way" would have opened the system to more private sector alternatives.

Alberta has much to learn from these countries. It is immoral that Albertans have the choice to spend their money on cigarettes, alcohol and gambling, yet are not given the choice to spend their after-tax income on health-care for themselves or a loved one. There is nothing wrong in giving Albertans the choice of spending their own money to get better health-care and more of it. It is wrong however, for governments to force people to wait in line for basic health care.

The private sector should not be feared but embraced.  Last year’s Supreme Court ruling of Chaoulli v. Quebec made this perfectly clear.  The court declared that, "democracies that do not impose a monopoly on the delivery of health care have successfully delivered … services that are superior to and more affordable than the services that are presently available in Canada.  This demonstrates that a monopoly is not necessary or even related to the provision of quality public health-care."

Complementary health insurance (CHI) is one policy Alberta should adopt.  CHI is voluntary and, like the name suggests, complements the coverage provided under Alberta’s universal health-care insurance. CHI provides choice for patients who may be unsatisfied with the service and treatment options available in the existing monopoly system. CHI policy holders would be able to access private sector alternatives that would serve to reduce pressure on the existing monopoly system, and provide economic opportunity.  Canadian schooled health professionals would not leave, and Canadians who spend more than $1 billion aboard will have the opportunity to spend their dollars here.

Complementary health insurance is just one area of innovation Alberta should consider to improve our failing health-care system.  Allowing greater competition to co-exist along side the universal system – as is done throughout the world – is key to improving Alberta’s health care system.  By doing so, Alberta will position itself as a world leader for health-care reform and delivery.

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By Tanis Fiss, Director, Canadian Taxpayers Association

Copyright © 2006 Canada Free Press