Page 7 - Marda Loop News Today

In the email to patients, Talbot-Jones characterized the move as "a transformative health-care initiative" to provide better service while reducing stress, lost time and productivity due to extended waits to see a physician.

A University of Calgary professor says a situation at the Marda Loop Medical Clinic in Calgary is a "canary in the coal mine" as Health Canada says it is aware of a second arrangement that could run afoul of the Canada Health Act.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says if a Calgary medical clinic begins charging a fee for faster access to a family doctor, it will be shut down, fined or have medicare payments from the province withheld.

The Alberta government says a Calgary medical clinic charging its patients fees for faster access to a physician is an outlier and it will take action against any clinic that follows suit.

Dr. Adam Ogieglo in Saskatchewan said a medical clinic membership pay structure, if it were to gain traction, would swamp emergency rooms much more than they already are.

The Alberta government says a Calgary medical clinic charging its patients fees for faster access to a physician is an outlier and it will take action against any clinic that follows suit.

Alberta-based advocacy organization Friends of Medicare and the Opposition NDP say the province needs to put a stop to a Calgary clinic planning to charge annual fees for faster access to a physician.

Canadians should have access to primary health-care services based on medical need and not on their ability, or willingness, to pay, Health Canada said.

When a clinic switches to premium fee service or reduced hours, patients will feel pressure to pay up or find a new doctor when they're hard to come by.

Health Canada says a Calgary medical clinic that soon plans to charge its patients a fee to gain faster access to a family doctor would be breaching medicare laws.