Smith declines to disavow old comments urging out-of-pocket payments for health care

Premier Danielle Smith is declining to say whether she stands by or is disavowing earlier comments she made proposing Albertans pay out-of-pocket for medically insured services as a way to keep the health-care system sustainable.

Smith has declined four times over the past nine days to say whether she stands by a policy paper she wrote in 2021, which urges Albertans to begin paying for services covered by medicare, including visits to a family doctor.

Smith's United Conservative Party government has committed not to delist any current medically insured services or to having Albertans pay for services or prescriptions currently covered by medicare.

At a news conference Monday, Smith, when asked again where she stands philosophically on Albertans paying out-of-pocket, pointed to a long-term health funding deal Alberta recently signed with Ottawa.

"I believe actions speak louder than anything," said Smith.

"One of the first things I've done as premier is sign a 10-year, $24-billion health-care agreement with the federal government, where we jointly agree to uphold the principles of the Canada Health Act.

"One of those main principles is no one pays out-of-pocket for a family doctor, and no one pays for hospital services. That's in writing."

The reporter was not allowed to challenge the answer, as Smith has instituted a rule that she be asked one question per reporter per news conference with no followups.

The Opposition NDP said Albertans need to know what Smith believes, given she is seeking a four-year mandate in an election campaign set to begin next week with voters going to the polls May 29.

"Danielle Smith wants Albertans to pay to see their doctor," NDP health critic David Shepherd said in a statement.

"She has published a detailed plan and described it on the record many times. Smith had many opportunities to disavow this plan, but she's refused.

"When we proposed universal coverage for prescription birth control, Smith said Albertans should pay out-of-pocket for private health insurance."

Smith, in turn, said the NDP needs to explain why it continued the government practice of charging $40 a day for addiction treatment beds when it was in power from 2015 to 2019.

"(NDP Leader Rachel Notley) needs to answer for whether or not she'll bring that back because she certainly didn't remove it when she had the chance," said Smith.