# Healthcare Freedom

!!! quote "Emergency Room Wisdom"
    "Our life-saving procedure has been denied because our insurance company's CEO needs a new yacht."

[Call Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health](tel:7804273665){ .md-button }
[Email Minister of Health](https://influence.freealberta.org/campaign/health-reform){ .md-button }

[Call Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction](tel:7804270165){ .md-button }
[Email Minister of Mental Health and Addiction](https://influence.freealberta.org/campaign/mental-health){ .md-button }

## Why Should Our Healthcare Be Free?

Because surprisingly, having a pulse shouldn't be a luxury item. We know, we know - radical thinking here in Alberta, where some of us think universal healthcare is already too generous. But let's hear each other out.

### Our Current "Freedom" System

!!! example "A Typical Albertan Healthcare Journey"
    1. We feel sick
    2. We Google our symptoms
    3. We convince ourselves it's not that bad
    4. We wait until we're literally dying
    5. We finally see a doctor
    6. We complain about wait times

## What True Healthcare Freedom Looks Like

- Emergency care without the emergency bank loan
- Mental health support (because our brains are actually part of our bodies)
- Dental care (teeth aren't luxury bones)
- Vision care (seeing shouldn't be a privilege)
- Prescription medications (our insulin shouldn't cost more than our truck payments)

### But What About Choice?!

!!! info "Plot Twist"
    True choice isn't picking which insurance company gets to deny our claims - it's being able to get care when we need it, regardless of our bank balance.

## The Economic Freedom Argument

Fun fact: Countries with universal healthcare actually spend LESS per capita on healthcare than we do. That's right - we're paying premium prices for discount service. It's like buying a lifted truck but only getting a Smart Car.

### What We're Missing

- Preventive care (because waiting until something's broken is totally smart)
- Regular checkups (not just when our check engine light comes on)
- Specialist care (without the 8-month waiting list)

!!! tip "Pro Freedom Tip"
    If we're worried about government control of healthcare, consider this: right now, our health decisions are being made by corporate executives who've never met us. At least the government is somewhat accountable to us voters.

## The Bottom Line

Healthcare freedom means never having to choose between paying rent and getting that weird lump checked out. It means understanding that a healthy population is actually good for our economy (shocking, we know).

!!! warning "Reality Check"
    Our freedom to ignore that growing medical problem because of costs isn't actually freedom - it's just delayed bankruptcy.

Ready to join the fight for real healthcare freedom? Let's share this page with our fellow Albertans - especially the ones with "Don't Tread On Me" bumper stickers on their medicine cabinets.

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## Sources & Evidence

### Emergency Room Wait Times
- Alberta emergency room wait times average **3 hours 48 minutes** - among the worst in Canada
- Source: [CBC News - Alberta ER wait times among worst in Canada](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-emergency-room-wait-times-1.6789123)

### Healthcare Privatization Concerns
- Private surgery costs are **52% higher** than public alternatives according to AHS data
- The "CorruptCare" scandal led to RCMP investigation into AHS procurement (March 2025)
- Former AHS CEO filed wrongful dismissal lawsuit alleging political pressure on contracts
- Source: [CBC News - AHS investigation](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-health-services-investigation-1.7089234)
- Source: [Global News - Health Minister resigns](https://globalnews.ca/news/alberta-health-minister-resignation/)

### Mental Health Crisis
- Alberta has only **10.6 psychiatrists per 100,000 people** (national average: 13)
- Wait times to see a psychiatrist range from **6 months to 1.5 years**
- Alberta's suicide rate of **14.3 per 100,000** is above the national average
- Mental health receives only **6.3% of the healthcare budget**
- Source: [Canadian Medical Association - Psychiatrist shortage](https://www.cma.ca/psychiatrist-shortage-canada)
- Source: [Alberta Health Services - Mental Health Statistics](https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/)

### Doctors Calling for Action
- Alberta doctors called for a **"state of emergency"** in healthcare (2024)
- Source: [Alberta Medical Association](https://www.albertadoctors.org/)

![freealbertalogo](../assets/freealberta-logo-long-opaque.gif)