Alberta's provincial government has introduced sweeping legislative changes that could fundamentally reshape healthcare delivery across the province. The proposed Health Statutes Amendment Act 2025, known as Bill 11, was tabled in the legislature on Monday, November 24, 2025, by Primary and Preventative Health Services Minister Adriana LaGrange.
Key Changes in Healthcare Delivery
The legislation proposes a dual practice model that would allow specialized physicians to provide services in both public and private healthcare sectors. This represents one of the most significant shifts in Alberta's healthcare system in recent years. However, the government has explicitly excluded family physicians from participating in this new model at this time.
Minister LaGrange defended the proposed changes, stating that bold reforms are necessary to improve the healthcare system. "There will be no reductions in publicly funded procedures or services, and no Albertan will ever have to pay out of pocket to see their family doctor or receive the medical care they need," LaGrange assured the public during the announcement.
Restrictions and Safeguards
The proposed legislation includes several important restrictions to govern the dual practice model. Physicians would be required to practice in the public system for a minimum number of years before being permitted to work in private practice. The government would also restrict which medical specialties can participate in private practice, control the times of day when private services can be offered, and limit the amount of time or services physicians can provide privately.
Emergency services, critical procedures and surgeries, including cancer treatments, will remain exclusively within the public system and continue to be covered under the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan. LaGrange explained that family physicians are being excluded from dual practice initially because "our priority right now is to make sure that every person in Alberta is attached to a primary care provider."
Additional Healthcare Reforms
Beyond the dual practice model, Bill 11 proposes several other significant changes to Alberta's healthcare landscape. The legislation would position the province as the "payor of last resort" for drug coverage, potentially shifting how prescription medications are funded. Albertans would also be required to renew their health cards periodically, a process that hasn't been mandatory in recent years.
The bill also seeks to broaden eligibility criteria for the chief medical officer of health position and includes modifications to food safety regulations. These comprehensive changes represent the next phase in the provincial government's ongoing refocusing of Alberta's healthcare system.
If passed, the amendments to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act would allow the government to implement the dual practice model through ministerial order in the future, potentially expanding it to include family physicians once primary care attachment goals are met.
