Skip to content

Notifications

Government mail service may be affected by the Canada Post labour disruption. Learn about how critical government mail will be handled.

Popular topics:

Alberta.ca Account
Part of New and proposed legislation

Supporting a world-class health care system

Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2) empowers health care professionals and supports improved health outcomes for Albertans.

Status: Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2) received royal assent on December 11, 2025.
Ministry responsible: Primary and Preventative Health Services

Overview

Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2) modernizes practice rules for physicians, drug coverage and health cards while implementing administrative changes to meet the needs of Albertans.

The amendments in the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025 (No. 2), reflect the government’s commitment to implement a refocused health care system that recognizes the province’s evolving needs, empowers health care professionals, and supports improved health outcomes for Albertans.

Key changes

The amendments bring changes to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act, Health Insurance Premiums Act, Health Information Act, the Public Health Act, and the Provincial Health Agencies Act.

  • Alberta Health Care Insurance Act

    Changes to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act:

    • modernize rules that outline how physicians participate in Alberta’s publicly funded Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan to give physicians more practice flexibility and encourage innovation
    • allow Alberta employers to offer their employees access to private health services from a physician through their health plans
    • improve the coordination of drug coverage between public and private plans, ensuring that private plans are fully utilized while preserving public coverage for those who need it most. Government’s role would shift to that of payor of last resort
    • protect older Albertans from losing employer-sponsored health benefits solely due to age. Employers could not terminate or reduce health benefit coverage for employees 65 years and older who are actively employed
    • deter health care providers and clinics from following improper billing practices and making inappropriate claims
    • strengthen accountability and transparency while generating cost savings by introducing penalties for systemic non-compliance in billing practices
    • reflect the sector-based governance system and incorporate relevant content from the Hospitals Act 

  • Provincial Health Agencies Act

    Changes to the Provincial Health Agencies Act:

    • align with Alberta Health Care Insurance Act changes and support the legislative framework for the operation of approved hospitals

  • Health Information Act

    Amendments to the Health Information Act supports team-based care, governance for shared health information, privacy and data-driven innovation.

    The amendments align with the government’s implementation of a refocused health care system that connects care pathways and ensures access to seamless, fully informed health care for Albertans. They:

    • support a whole patient approach by enabling effective information sharing between health care providers and between government ministries to support common or integrated programs and services
    • establish standards to mitigate privacy and security risks while introducing new requirements to support the changing health care landscape

  • Public Health Act

    Amendments to the Public Health Act along with amendments to the Food Regulation, Food Retail and Foodservices Code, Institutions Regulation, and the creation of a new Public Health Investigator Regulation:

    • improve food safety across all food establishments by strengthening food safety training structures and increasing transparency of food inspection reporting
    • enhance the enforcement of food safety legislation to ensure there are processes in place to address egregious or repeated non-compliance
    • result in the legislative framework needed for future initiatives to further improve awareness and trust in Alberta’s food safety system

Modernizing health cards

Amendments to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act, Health Insurance Premiums Act, and Health Information Act include measures to confirm health cardholders continue to be eligible for Alberta health care insurance coverage and reduce health card misuse. Amendments include:

  • a health card renewal process
  • a new offence for tampering with or using a tampered health card
  • provisions allowing for a health card to be seized, surrendered or its access terminated
  • information sharing with other ministries so they can produce the cards and provide for their use

Advancing a new era of health care

Work to implement the new era of health care in Alberta that reflects the needs of Albertans continues. Amendments to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act and the Provincial Health Agencies Act support operational changes to implement previously announced objectives such as modernizing hospital governance to reflect the refocused health system and transitioning Alberta Health Services to a hospital-based acute care service provider. 

Amendments also repeal Part 3 of the Hospitals Act, the only remaining part of the Hospitals Act, as all relevant provisions are now moved into the Provincial Health Agencies Act and the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act.

Next steps

  • Amendments related to modernizing practice rules for physicians would come into force upon proclamation planned for spring 2026.
  • Amendments related to drug coverage would come into force upon proclamation planned for summer 2026.
  • Amendments related to administrative penalties and public health investigators, both specific to food safety, would come into force on January 1, 2027.
    • Amendments related to the Public Health Act and leadership expansion at the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health would come into force upon royal assent.
  • Amendments related to modernizing health cards would come into force upon proclamation planned for spring/summer 2026.
  • Amendments related to health information sharing would come into force upon proclamation planned for spring/summer 2026.
  • Amendments related to consistent billing practices would come into force upon proclamation planned for early 2026.
  • Amendments related to advancing a new era of health care received royal assent on December 11, 2025.

News