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By The Canadian Press

Health Care

Audit into 13 Alberta medical clinics charging membership fees

Jul 31, 2025 | 1:29 PM

An audit into 13 Alberta medical clinics charging membership fees has found patients who pay are likely getting more thorough care from their doctors.

The province launched the audit in 2023, after a Calgary clinic told patients it was switching to a membership model and planned to charge annual fees of about 5-thousand dollars for families and 2-thousand per adult.

Members were promised shorter wait times and extended appointments, creating concerns of a two-tiered health system.

A summary report of the audit says the province found no evidence that patients are paying out of pocket for covered medical care.

But it says physicians in membership-based clinics see substantially fewer patients than other doctors.

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And it says members seem to get longer and more comprehensive appointments.

The government says it’s reviewing the report’s recommendations calling for stricter regulations for membership clinics, and that legislative changes are possible.

Health Canada says having patients pay for preferential access to doctors would violate the Canada Health Act.

It says it’s in contact with the province about the audit.

(The Canadian Press)