Federal Retirees raises concerns about Alberta health-care changes
May 27, 2026 3 min read
Alberta’s Bill 11 could significantly change how some health services are delivered and funded in the province.
In late December 2025, the Alberta government quietly and quickly passed Bill 11: the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2).
Among the changes, Bill 11 creates a new category of doctor or surgeon: “flexibly participating physicians” — physicians who can provide publicly insured health services and “non-plan services.” Unprecedented in Canada, this “dual practice” under the legislation allows doctors to work in both the public and private systems and allows patients to be charged for medically-necessary services.
The Alberta government has said the initial stages of Bill 11 will apply only to specific surgeries and not to primary care services, however the legislation allows all physicians and surgeons to engage in the dual practice model.
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has warned that, with Bill 11, “Alberta became the first province to legislate two-tier health care and private health insurance for medically necessary services.”
Critics have called Bill 11 a violation of the Canada Health Act. The federal government has said discussions with Alberta are ongoing while regulations are in development.
“Federal Retirees is monitoring and is very concerned about the potential impacts of Bill 11 on Albertans and retirees,” said Anthony Pizzino, Federal Retirees’ CEO. “Access to medically necessary care must be based on need and not the ability to pay.”
Buried in the legislation is also a problematic provision that changes the provincial public drug and supplemental benefits plan to the “payor of last resort.” Currently, the Alberta health plan is the first payer for Albertans 65 years and older. With this change, employer-sponsored or private plans will be required to pay first.
“Federal Retirees has engaged the Treasury Board Secretariat in discussions about the implications of Bill 11 and pensioner plan members of the Public Service Health Care Plan,” said Gisèle Tassé-Goodman, Federal Retirees board chair and PSHCP pensioner representative.
This measure shifts costs rather than reducing them. Transferring coverage and costs onto private plans also impacts plan members and retirees and may result in increased drug and health expenses — an avoidable burden at a time when affordability is already a concern. We know drug costs are rising; shifting first payer coverage for essential medications from public to private plans does not solve the underlying problem.
Advocacy staff are supporting volunteers in Alberta in taking action and meeting with elected representatives about the potential harms of Bill 11, including in a meeting with the then–Alberta minister of primary and preventative services.
Public health care must be protected and adequately funded. Bill 11 would significantly change health care in Alberta. “We urge the Alberta government to thoroughly review the ramifications of Bill 11 and pause implementation,” said Pizzino.
