Albertans could be able to self-refer for diagnostic testing, bill insurance policies
Posted April 13, 2026 3:13 pm.
Last Updated April 13, 2026 3:29 pm.
The final piece of the Alberta healthcare restructuring plan was revealed Monday by the government, which said it plans to allow residents to self-refer for preventive testing to increase access and reduce strain on the system.
Primary and Preventative Healthcare Minister Adriana LaGrange said the exact parameters of the law are yet to be worked out and Monday’s bill tabling is simply procedural.
The minister admitted Monday that Albertans are waiting too long for diagnostic testing, and this next step is necessary.
“We know that early detection saves lives,” LaGrange said. “When health issues are caught early, treatment is often simpler, more effective, and less invasive, and it also leads to better outcomes for patients and less pressure on our health care system.”
The government couldn’t say which tests would be available for self-referral. However, LaGrange confirmed plans outlined in an October video haven’t changed.
At the time, she and Premier Danielle Smith said legislative reform was coming to allow Albertans to privately purchase any diagnostic or screening service they choose, including MRIs, CT scans, full body scans, and blood work.
Health professionals will be allowed to offer these services privately, and insurance plans will be able to insure them, the province says, adding the government will be “the payer of last resort.”
The province says this doesn’t change Alberta’s public health system: tests ordered by a medical professional for a patient will be have priority and continued to be covered by Alberta’s health insurance plan.
“This is about adding capacity, not replacing our public system. It’s about giving Albertans more control over their health, while maintaining the strong public health care system that we all rely on,” LaGrange said. “It’s about ensuring we are using every available tool to improve outcomes and reduce wait times.”
In October, Smith said if an Albertan paid for a preventative test that uncovered a previously unknown, serious health condition, they would be reimbursed by the Government of Alberta for the cost. Whether this takes shape remains to be seen, due to the lack of concreate legislation at the moment.
Expanded access is expected sometime this fall.
Easing roadblocks to addictions treatment
Bill 29 will also grant permission to primary care providers like physicians and nurse practitioners to carry small amounts of certain addiction treatment medications in clinics for urgent use.
The medications would be supplied by a licensed pharmacy.
LaGrange says this ensures patients can start treatment immediately.
“It removes barriers, shortens delays, and ensures that critical medications are available in urgent situations,” she said.
Safeguards will also be put in place to ensure medications are handled safely and appropriately, including secure storage requirements.
Step wraps up UCP healthcare refocusing
LaGrange says the years-long effort to “”refocus” the healthcare system in Alberta under Smith is coming to a conclusion with the most recent bill.
“Bill 29 makes the final legislative updates needed to align terminology, strengthen governance, and support stable operations across the system,” the minister said. “These are targeted, technical changes. You could call them housekeeping amendments, but they are very important.”
The province has repeatedly highlighted what it sees as the success of its work, including more doctors, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare professionals registering in Alberta.
Critics have argued the restructuring hasn’t been successful, causing gaps in the system and not lending a hand to issues such as overcrowded emergency rooms.
