Albertans were previously told by Smith that:
“no one pays out-of-pocket for a family doctor, and no one pays for hospital services. That’s in writing.”
An audit insisted upon by the NDP has however turned up over 40 Alberta clinics charging a medical insurance fee. The fees (in at least one case approaching $5000 a year for a “family” membership) jeopardize Alberta’s federal health funding, which does not permit this.