A health centre in Regina is offering a subscription for ‘faster service’, but critics say it’s privatization

A subscription service offered by a health center in Regina is drawing criticism from critics and one of its patients because it appears the clinic is offering privatized health care.

Cecilia Rands says she received an email about two weeks ago from Albert & Parliament Primary Health Care, a clinic at 3992 Albert St., addressed to her 7-year-old daughter.

The subject line of the email was: “Keep your doctor in practice.”

“It felt deceptive and manipulative because it affected me emotionally that I was afraid that my primary care doctor, who I find very kind and respectful and have a good relationship with, might leave or change practices,” said Rands, who is also a doula.

Instead, the email encouraged the clinic’s patients to sign up for a patient plan through their health insurer Healtheon.

These packs cost between $29.99 and $49.99.

The email touts Healtheon as a company that offers patients “faster service through AI technologies,” along with “access to a second medical opinion within two weeks” and “an enhanced patient experience with team-based care,” as well as “access to a network of over 4,000 healthcare specialists.”

WATCH | This is why Cecilia Rands is angry about the clinic’s ‘faster service’ subscription:

This Regina woman is angry because her doctor’s office offers a subscription for ‘faster service’

Regina resident Cecilia Rands is angry about an email from her health centre offering a subscription service for “faster service”. The Ministry of Health is investigating whether the service violates the Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Act.

Rands says she understands that doctors are overworked and underpaid, but she thinks the service sounds like a step toward privatization.

“I don’t think it should be my responsibility as a patient to supplement those costs. That’s why we have a public health care system,” she said.

Krystal Lewis is the provincial director of the Saskatchewan Health Coalition, an advocacy organization that advocates for accessible health care.

The details in the email raise many “alarm bells,” she said.

“It’s, I think, a little bit lesser-known and a little bit more subtle form of privatization that’s been working its way through the Canadian health care system,” Lewis said in an interview Tuesday.

The Albert & Parliament Primary Health Care Clinic did not respond when asked for comment.

However, the ability to register for Healtheon has been removed from the clinic’s website. The links in the email sent to Rands no longer work and now lead to a web page titled “Oops! That page can’t be found.”

Healtheon CEO Raymond Rupert spoke briefly with CBC/Radio-Canada on Tuesday, but declined to provide clarification on several questions.

Lewis says she’s frustrated by the news about the subscription service, but she understands why clinics feel they need to implement the policy.

“Our health care system is in crisis and that is forcing people to do all kinds of different things,” she said.

The Ministry of Health said in a statement that it only recently became aware of a clinic informing patients about memberships to access certain services.

“It is important to note that under the Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Act, no physician or clinic may charge a patient a higher fee for a publicly insured service provided by a physician,” the statement said.

The Ministry of Health says it is currently evaluating the memberships and how they relate to publicly insured services under the Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Act.