88 lines
4.5 KiB
Markdown
88 lines
4.5 KiB
Markdown
# Healthcare Freedom
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!!! quote "Emergency Room Wisdom"
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"Our life-saving procedure has been denied because our insurance company's CEO needs a new yacht."
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[Call Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health](tel:7804273665){ .md-button }
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[Email Minister of Health](https://influence.freealberta.org/campaign/health-reform){ .md-button }
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[Call Rick Wilson, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction](tel:7804270165){ .md-button }
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[Email Minister of Mental Health and Addiction](https://influence.freealberta.org/campaign/mental-health){ .md-button }
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## Why Should Our Healthcare Be Free?
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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.
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### Our Current "Freedom" System
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!!! example "A Typical Albertan Healthcare Journey"
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1. We feel sick
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2. We Google our symptoms
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3. We convince ourselves it's not that bad
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4. We wait until we're literally dying
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5. We finally see a doctor
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6. We complain about wait times
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## What True Healthcare Freedom Looks Like
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- Emergency care without the emergency bank loan
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- Mental health support (because our brains are actually part of our bodies)
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- Dental care (teeth aren't luxury bones)
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- Vision care (seeing shouldn't be a privilege)
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- Prescription medications (our insulin shouldn't cost more than our truck payments)
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### But What About Choice?!
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!!! info "Plot Twist"
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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.
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## The Economic Freedom Argument
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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.
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### What We're Missing
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- Preventive care (because waiting until something's broken is totally smart)
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- Regular checkups (not just when our check engine light comes on)
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- Specialist care (without the 8-month waiting list)
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!!! tip "Pro Freedom Tip"
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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.
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## The Bottom Line
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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).
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!!! warning "Reality Check"
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Our freedom to ignore that growing medical problem because of costs isn't actually freedom - it's just delayed bankruptcy.
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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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---
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## Sources & Evidence
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### Emergency Room Wait Times
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- Alberta emergency room wait times average **3 hours 48 minutes** - among the worst in Canada
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- 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)
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### Healthcare Privatization Concerns
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- Private surgery costs are **52% higher** than public alternatives according to AHS data
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- The "CorruptCare" scandal led to RCMP investigation into AHS procurement (March 2025)
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- Former AHS CEO filed wrongful dismissal lawsuit alleging political pressure on contracts
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- Source: [CBC News - AHS investigation](https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-health-services-investigation-1.7089234)
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- Source: [Global News - Health Minister resigns](https://globalnews.ca/news/alberta-health-minister-resignation/)
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### Mental Health Crisis
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- Alberta has only **10.6 psychiatrists per 100,000 people** (national average: 13)
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- Wait times to see a psychiatrist range from **6 months to 1.5 years**
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- Alberta's suicide rate of **14.3 per 100,000** is above the national average
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- Mental health receives only **6.3% of the healthcare budget**
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- Source: [Canadian Medical Association - Psychiatrist shortage](https://www.cma.ca/psychiatrist-shortage-canada)
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- Source: [Alberta Health Services - Mental Health Statistics](https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/)
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### Doctors Calling for Action
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- Alberta doctors called for a **"state of emergency"** in healthcare (2024)
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- Source: [Alberta Medical Association](https://www.albertadoctors.org/)
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