Parkland Report Confirms NDP Falling Short on Long-Term Care Promise

Report finds Alberta's continuing care is 79% privatized with no significant improvement since the election of the NDP Government.

Friends of Medicare are calling on the Alberta Government to recommit to their election promise to create "2,000 public long-term care beds over four years" in light of damning evidence provided in today's Parkland Institute "Losing Ground: Alberta's Residential Elder Care Crisis" report on long-term care in Alberta. Further steps should be reviewed and taken to phase out private continuing care entirely, in keeping with their election promise to "end the PCs' costly experiments in privatization, and redirect the funds to publicly delivered services."

Alberta Government on the Right Side of History with Dynalife Purchase

Friends of Medicare are elated to hear reports that Alberta Health Services intends to purchase private lab services company Dynalife for $50 million in 2022 when its new 5 year contract expires. 

Cold Lake Continuing Care Lockout Another Sign of a Broken System

Friends of Medicare are calling on the Government of Alberta to take steps to fix a broken continuing care system in light of today's news that Points West Living have served notice to lockout their staff in Cold Lake as of September 29.

Expansion of Private For-Profit Care Not to be Applauded

Friends of Medicare are calling on the Alberta government to change the public discourse when it comes to long-term care in Alberta in light of today's announcement highlighting the opening of a private for-profit continuing care centre approved by the previous government.

“Evidence is clear that for-profit facilities provide reduced care hours compared to their counterparts in the public sector. Experience tells us that staff face significant issues with for-profit companies like AgeCare. To top it off the public is kept in the dark with no transparency for the millions in operational funds that are handed over to these health profiteers,” said Executive Director Sandra Azocar.

Advocates Tour Alberta to Stop Plasma Privatization

Friends of Medicare are partnering with BloodWatch.org advocate Kat Lanteigne and touring Alberta September 12 – 16 to campaign in support of voluntary plasma collection and against the private for-profit plasma lobby.

Accountability and Transparency Needed for Long-Term Care Operators

Friends of Medicare are calling for accountability and transparency for private for-profit operators like Park Place Seniors Living in light of today’s announcement from Alberta Health that they will be opening 99 beds in Edmonton’s Villa Marguerite.

Beds Remaining Open but Data Lacking in Sundre Long-Term Care Compromise

Friends of Medicare are relieved to see 5 long-term care beds remain open at the Sundre Hospital as reported in the Sundre Round-Up, but justification for closing the other 10 beds lacks proper data.

Kenney's Health Care Record Demands Answers

Friends of Medicare are calling on Jason Kenney and all future contenders in the PC Leadership race to be clear with Albertans on health care. 

Despite a long record in politics and on health care Kenney did not talk about health care or where he stands on private or public care in his lengthy campaign launch on July 6.

Action Needed for Accountable and Transparent Primary Care Networks

Friends of Medicare are pleased to see the review made public today by the Ministry of Health. Having long called for a review of Alberta's Primary Care Networks, Friends of Medicare are now calling for follow through to address the issues raised. The review found "instances where the PCN Administrative Leads were receiving remuneration that was higher than the guidelines provided", "the appropriateness of PCN spending for physician compensation was not clear," and "instances where PCNs were using public dollars on expenditures that were inappropriate".