UCP Members at their Annual General Meeting over the weekend have voted to create a private health care option for Albertans.

The proposal would be to have it run alongside the existing public health care system.

Livingstone-Macleod MLA, Roger Reid, says the plan wouldn't see public health care replaced.

"We were elected on our platform that stated that we support a universally accessible, publicly funded health system in this province. And I can assure you we still remain committed to that."

Reid, says it's not a new discussion.

"I remember back in the early 1990's the same kind of discussion. People, I think, they're looking for efficiencies in health care. They're looking for reduced surgical wait times. They're looking for fixes to some of the long wait times people are experiencing at some of the emergency rooms at some of our urban centres."

He says the vote, which passed with 53 per cent support came from what he says are likely frustrated party members.

"I think we can reflect on some of those votes being from Albertans that are frustrated with long wait times and not being able to get the care that they've been waiting a long time for."

Not everyone was in favour of the plan, as the majority who spoke about it Friday, October 16, cautioned against adopting it.

Reid says right now it's simply a proposal for party policy, which is a long way from becoming reality politically.

 

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