Klein reveals Alberta's "Third Way" private payment for non-insured services.ALBERTA -- Premier Ralph Klein unveiled his much heralded "Third Way" for Albertans. Details are lacking at this stage but Klein promises It will offer Albertans "enhanced or optional health services health services Managed care The benefits covered under a health contract for those who both want it and can afford it." The enhanced services include: * choice in hospital rooms and * enhanced medical goods and services In economics, economic output is divided into physical goods and intangible services. Consumption of goods and services is assumed to produce utility (unless the "good" is a "bad"). It is often used when referring to a Goods and Services Tax. . * a Health Care Assurance Act for Albertans, that will give the ability to purchase services not covered not covered Health care adjective Referring to a procedure, test or other health service to which a policy holder or insurance beneficiary is not entitled under the terms of the policy or payment system–eg, Medicare. Cf Covered. by the province's public health insurance system. Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh reacted that he and federal health officials expect Alberta to respect the Canada Health Act The Canada Health Act is a piece of Canadian federal legislation, adopted in 1984, that lists the conditions and criteria to which the provinces and territories must conform in order to receive the full amount of negotiated transfer payments relating to health care. and its core principles. "No user fees and no queue jumping are the linchpins of our Medicare system. These fundamental characteristics of our system must continue to be protected for all Canadians. I am pleased to see Alberta has reaffirmed its commitment to the Canada Health Act, and that the proposed package, in my view, indicates a generally positive step in ensuring better health care for Albertans." Klein's plan will enable people seeking hip operations to obtain the "Birmingham Hip" which has not yet been approved for the public program and to obtain it in a hotel-like setting. "The rich in this province will get the Birmingham hip and the rest of us will get the tragically hip," Alberta NDP NDP New Democratic Party (Canada) NDP National Development Plan (Republic of Ireland) NDP National Development Plan NDP National Democratic Party (Barbados) Leader Brian Mason quipped. (The Birmingham hip is being tested in a pilot project by the Calgary Health Authority.) The plans for improvements to health and health services include: * action on wellness. * making children's health Children's Health Definition Children's health encompasses the physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being of children from infancy through adolescence. a top priority. * Improving access to mental health services. * Electronic Health Record for all Albertans. * Expanding primary health care services. * Improving access. * Controlling drug costs. * Improving the long-term care long-term care (LTC), n the provision of medical, social, and personal care services on a recurring or continuing basis to persons with chronic physical or mental disorders. system. * Increasing the number of health care providers. * Improving health services in rural communities. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion