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It's time to put an end to the $1 billion lie about rising physician incomes in the past 4-5 years, using AB government's own data. In the link below, I detail the facts about doctor's pay and costs of physician services. (also thread
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#abhealth #ableg https://link.medium.com/iGtap4zjF6
)#abhealth #ableg https://link.medium.com/iGtap4zjF6
Albertans have been hit hard economically. I would not dare to trivialize that. However, for @jkenney to say that docs' income rose by 25-30% in 4 yrs is an appalling lie. Billings have dropped & risen during this time. The avg. billings in '19 was essentially the same as '16.
The http://open.alberta.ca data also shows us that the increases in total physician expenditures is directly related to maintenance of healthcare access for patients in setting of increasing population as well as an aging population, independent of increased income for docs.
Albertaâs population has significantly grown, and physician supply has kept pace to maintain high-quality care for Albertans. The ratio of the people eligible to receive healthcare in Alberta and the number of available physicians to provide care for them has been flat.
The average number of physician services sought by each patient has increased. In 2019, the average patient had access to 12% more physician services in 2019 compared to 2015.
The number of people in the 65+ age group has been accelerating in Alberta.
The cost of providing care for the 65â74 age group is nearly three times higher than the average of all the other groups. The cost for those 75 or older is 4â5 times higher. Now combine this with the fact that the 65+ age group is the fastest growing proportion of our population.
To blindly insist that healthcare costs should be âmaintainedâ directly translates to reduced access to healthcare for Albertans. The issues facing our healthcare system are complex. There needs to be a plan and there needs to be a system view to ensure care is not compromised.
The only right step forward for the Alberta government is to reinstate the Master Agreement, go to arbitration with the AMA, and get back on the side of patients and doctors. i.e. the right side of history.
