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Part of New and proposed legislation

Expanding health care access for Albertans

Legislation expands access to testing and medications, making it easier for Albertans to get care faster and closer to home.

Overview

The Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, allows Albertans to access certain private preventative health tests without a referral. Preventative health testing is essential for identifying medical conditions at an early stage, when interventions are simpler, less costly and more effective. This change makes it easier for Albertans to take proactive steps in managing their health while helping reduce pressure on the public system.

The act also amends the Pharmacy and Drug Act to allow authorized prescribers to keep a limited supply of certain prescription medications used in addiction treatment for urgent situations. In many rural, remote and Indigenous communities, long travel distances to pharmacies can delay treatment when time matters most. These changes help people begin treatment sooner by improving access to medications needed for care. All medications will continue to be dispensed through licensed pharmacies and subject to strict safety, storage and oversight requirements. Faster access to medication can be critical in stabilizing patients and supporting recovery.

The act also completes Alberta’s health system refocusing by supporting a more coordinated and streamlined health system. Remaining public health functions are aligned under the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services. This work reduces fragmentation across the system and improves clarity about where services and responsibilities sit, so care can be delivered more consistently and efficiently.

Additional amendments update legislation to reflect these changes and ensure alignment across related acts.

Key changes

The Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, also amends legislation to ensure alignment with the government’s work to support a more coordinated and streamlined health system.

  • Preventative health testing

    As part of the act, amendments to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act lay the groundwork to allow Albertans to access certain preventative health tests without a provider referral.

    Under Alberta’s Public Health Guarantee, all practitioner-recommended tests continue to be fully covered and prioritized in all facilities, public or private, across the province.

    More information about preventative health testing services will be shared later this year, including: 

    • which preventative testing services will be available without a provider referral
    • how reimbursement will work for eligible services
    • what criteria will apply
    • how Albertans can access these services

  • Easier access to prescription drugs for pharmacies

    The act also amends the Pharmacy and Drug Act to allow pharmacists in licensed community pharmacies to sell Schedule 1 drugs to authorized prescribers for use in their practices.

    This change allows authorized prescribers, such as physicians and nurse practitioners, especially those practising in rural, remote and Indigenous communities, to keep a contingency stock of medications in their clinics for in-office use. All medications continue to be dispensed through licensed pharmacies and are subject to strict safety, storage and oversight requirements.

    This change increases access to low-risk opioid agonist therapy medication, making urgent treatment immediately available through authorized prescribers and removing barriers to care. 

  • System refocus legislation

    As part of the act, various pieces of health legislation receive minor technical amendments to ensure alignment with the refocused health system.

    The acts amended are the Provincial Health Agencies Act (PHAA), Alberta Health Care Insurance Act, and the Health Insurance Premiums Act, along with minor regulation changes and other related amendments.

    Key changes include:

    • updating references to appropriate ministers, departments and act names to align with the transition from Alberta Health to Primary and Preventative Health Services (PPHS) and Hospital and Surgical Health Services (HSHS)
    • adding termination and severance repayment provisions to support the movement of public health inspectors (regional health authority employees) to PPHS
    • adjusting the PHAA transitional period to the end of 2026 to provide stability while a new labour framework is developed
    • updating definitions in key regulations to address real property governance transfers affecting AHS
    • moving financial matters provisions to all PHC regulations to allow for the repeal of the PHC Financial Matters Regulation

  • AHS workforce transition legislation

    The act amends the Provincial Health Agencies Act so staff can seamlessly transition from a regional health authority, provincial health corporation or provincial health agency to the Government of Alberta.

    The amendments:

    • enable staff transition from a regional health authority (RHA), provincial health agency (PHA) or provincial health corporation (PHC) into the Crown (government)
    • support the final wind‑up of the RHA
    • establish severance repayment as a condition of employment where applicable
    • enable the Crown to recover severance owed
    • allow the oversight minister to require disclosure of employee information from an RHA, PHA or PHC for the purpose of recovering severance owed to the Crown

    This change supports the transition of existing staff only. It creates no job losses and staff continue their work delivering public health services to Albertans. 

  • Dual practice

    As part of the Health Statutes Amendment Act, legislation is amended to ensure its terminology aligns with unproclaimed dual practice-related amendments to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act also included in Bill 11.

    The amendment specifies this section only applies to 'participating physicians' and 'flexibly participating physicians' when they are participating in the plan as defined in the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act.

    Regulations and additional information will be released later this year. 

Next steps

The Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2026, received royal assent on May 14, 2026. Some amendments are now in force, while other amendments will take effect later, upon proclamation.

  • Amendments related to preventative health testing will come into force upon proclamation, planned for summer 2026.
  • Amendments related to written orders for certain prescription drugs will come into force upon proclamation, planned for Fall 2026.
  • Amendments related to AHS workforce transition to government came into force on royal assent.
  • Amendments related to health system refocusing alignment and related technical updates are now in force.
  • Related health insurance premium amendments came into force on royal assent.

Background

Alberta’s health system refocus has been implemented through multiple phases of legislation since 2024, establishing new provincial health agencies, sector‑based oversight, and updated governance frameworks.

  • In spring 2024, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2024 (HSAA, 2024) passed alongside regulatory amendments to enable the establishment of provincial health agencies and begin refocusing Alberta’s health system. 
  • In fall 2024, additional amendments allowed Alberta Health Services to transition from a regional health authority to an acute care service provider, advancing sector‑based governance.
  • In spring 2025, HSAA, 2025 addressed remaining major refocus policy items, including hospital governance, health foundation oversight, and public health’s role in the refocused system. 
  • With core policy and structural changes now in place, spring 2026 amendments represented the final legislative alignment phase of the refocused health care system, ensuring consistency, clarity and smooth operation under the new health system structure.

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