EDMONTON — Alberta appears to be heading for a showdown over health care with Stephen Harper's new government as the province prepares to allow queue jumping by patients willing to pay cash for treatments.

The prime minister-designate said recently through one of his officials that Alberta's "changes should be made within the Canada Health Act." Two provisions of the act specifically discourage direct payments by patients, either through user charges or extra-billing, for services covered under provincial health-care insurance plans.

On Tuesday the Alberta cabinet was presented with a nine-point health reform plan that would allow doctors to practise in both private and public systems - charging some patients directly and billing medicare for others.

Health Minister Iris Evans wouldn't say whether the cabinet gave its approval. However, she did say she plans to meet with whomever Harper appoints as health minister to have a "thorough discussion" before any action is taken.

"It's my hope that when we look at the Canada Health Act, we can look at what's possible rather than what can't be done," she said.

Evans wants to meet in the next month with the new health minister to get a feel for the new Conservative government's reaction to Alberta's so-called Third Way proposals.

She would not say whether Alberta would back down if the Harper government strongly objected to the province's plan. The federal act allows Ottawa to levy financial penalties against provinces that break its provisions.

Evans said she's not overly concerned that Harper has taken a firm position in support of the Canada Health Act, both during the election campaign and again last week.

All political parties acknowledged during the campaign that Canadians are not getting timely access to treatments, she said.

But Kevin Taft, Alberta's Liberal Opposition leader, said this will be a test of Harper's relationship with Alberta.

"I think the Ralph and Stephen honeymoon is going to end very quickly on this issue," Taft said in an interview. "If Stephen Harper is as good as his word and wants to prove that to Canadians, he committed to enforcing the Canada Health Act . And I hope he's got the backbone to stand up to them."

Evans hinted that Alberta is looking for some flexibility in Ottawa after years of bickering over health-care policy with the former Liberal government.

Thousands of Albertans protested in 1998 when Premier Ralph Klein's Tory government introduced Bill 11, which allowed for the expansion of private clinics. But Evans said she thinks Albertans are ready for new options now and she hopes the protests won't be repeated.

One of Evan's officials said the province will likely be forced to repeal Bill 11 because it also prohibits patients from jumping the queue.