EDMONTON — This afternoon, Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, Adriana LaGrange announced that the first phase of an Activity-Based Funding (ABF) model for “high-volume” surgeries has now been implemented in 12 Alberta hospitals.

EDMONTON — The first full week of June each year is Alberta Seniors’ Week. It is a chance for Albertans to show appreciation for Alberta’s seniors and all that they contribute to our province. Friends of Medicare is marking this Seniors’ Week by continuing to call for properly funded home care and for the Alberta government to stop their attacks on Continuing Care.

DRAYTON VALLEY — Community members from the Drayton Valley region have come together to launch the newest regional chapter of Friends of Medicare. This follows a recent town hall hosted by Friends of Medicare in Drayton Valley, where residents voiced their experiences with Alberta’s health care and concerns about local access to care services, and determined it timely to get involved in advocating to protect and strengthen public health care in the Drayton Valley and surrounding Brazeau County communities.

No matter where you live, or who you are, you and your family deserve timely access to quality public health care — when and where you need it. 

That's why Friends of Medicare and well-known public health care advocate, Dr. Paul Parks are touring the province to hear from Albertans on what we are experiencing in our health care system, and to discuss what changes could make our lives and our health better. 

EDMONTON — On Friday heading into the long weekend, the provincial government revealed their plans for a comprehensive rebrand of our Emergency Health Services, now to be known as “ALTA Paramedic Health.” No specific costing for the rebranding was provided.

The law creates a two-tier health care system for Albertans, and undermines Canada’s universal public system

EDMONTON — During today’s Question Period—the first since the Alberta Legislative Assembly returned from last week’s constituency break—the Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Rick Wilson, was directly asked to apologize for misleading the Legislature, and to tell Albertans what he actually saw happen during a recent visit to a Supervised Consumption Site. But rather than answer the questions posed to him, he instead resorted to reading out recycled Recovery Alberta talking points, and used his time to rail against medical evidence and life-saving harm reduction services.

EDMONTON — This Tuesday in the Legislature, while responding to a question about significant concerns regarding the crown corporation CoRE (the Centre of Recovery Excellence), Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Rick Wilson spoke about a recent visit to a Supervised Consumption Site (SCS) and claimed that “these people that are in there: I’ve actually seen them collapse and die right in front of me,” along with a slew of other bizarre commentary on the issue.

EDMONTON — During Question Period in the Alberta Legislature on Tuesday, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services Matt Jones made the following statement in response to a question:

We’re looking at developing a voucher program where patients who have waited longer than clinically recommended can go to any approved or accredited provider in Alberta and get that surgery.