Premier Danielle Smith continues to play footsie with a really good health-care policy idea in place throughout the European Union. It could particularly help low- and middle-income patients in Alberta and it polls well, to boot.
CALGARY HERALD COLUMN: Smith should pilot health reform idea instead of teasing it
Instead of musing about it, the premier would be wise to try it out as a pilot project.
At a recent conference in Red Deer, Smith again raised the possibility of the government reimbursing patients when they pay for medically necessary surgeries abroad. Patients would have this option when facing local wait times that are longer than recommended, and reimbursements would cover up to the same amount the Alberta government would spend locally. Smith ran on this idea back in 2012 when she was Wildrose leader and also raised the policy last year on her radio show.
It’s easy to see how this policy could immediately help many patients. Instead of spending a year of your life in pain, off work and waiting for surgery in Alberta, you could potentially go to the U.S., Europe or some other developed nation and receive surgery in a couple of weeks.
The European Union passed a similar policy in 2011. It’s called the Cross Border Directive and it gives EU patients hundreds of additional options for treatment if local wait times are long for a particular type of surgery. To be clear, just as Smith has suggested for Alberta, this is an option for European patients — no one is forced to travel for treatment.
Polling conducted by Leger for SecondStreet.org in late 2023 found that 68 per cent of Albertans like the idea of their government implementing this policy.
It’s easy to see why so many people would like it. Health care is in crisis across Canada. Many patients are desperate. Wealthy Canadians have the funds to go abroad if they want to avoid long wait times, but low- and middle-income patients are often left behind. This policy would give all patients an option to escape long wait times.
So, what’s the holdup?
Earlier this year, Smith asserted that the cost of such a program could be high. She is absolutely right to want to be cautious with the province’s finances.
But this policy doesn’t really cost more money. If Alberta Health provides patient John Doe with surgery in six months at a cost of, say $15,000, then it doesn’t cost more if Alberta Health reimburses him next week for the same amount after he receives surgery in the U.S., Europe or some other location with reputable health care.
Smith has noted that her government is pursuing a number of health reform measures and wants to give them a chance before implementing a reimbursement policy. We should all hope that her reforms are successful, but reform takes time and countless patients are suffering right now. Reimbursing patients for care abroad is an accountability measure, one that recognizes that the government has taken their money, but hasn’t provided care in an ethical time frame.
The Alberta government doesn’t have to jump into this policy head first. It could try out a pilot project just for patients requiring knee surgery, cataract surgery or some other type of surgery that has long wait times.
To be sure, this concept is imperfect. Without a doubt, it’s more convenient for patients to receive surgery in their hometown.
But what this policy does is give patients another option — wait in Alberta for surgery, or travel and get treatment sooner. For many, it will be a lifeline to escape the chronic pain, loss of income and other struggles they face right now
If Smith tries out such a project, she’ll likely find a lot of happy patients while creating a more accountable health-care system.
Colin Craig is the president of SecondStreet.org, a Canadian think-tank.
This column was originally published in The Calgary Herald on October 11, 2024.
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