The Alberta government has laid out the framework for its so-called Third Way health care reforms, which include a plan that allows patients to pay cash for faster access to some non-emergency procedures.

"What we're looking for is some middle ground that accounts for capacity to keep the public system strong and protected by sufficient doctors," Health Minister Iris Evans said as she introduced Premier Ralph Klein's so-called Third Way on health-care reform.

"You can talk about it being two-tiered, but it's no different than what's going on in Quebec. It's no different that what's going on in every place they have private clinics.

"It's people making choices for themselves."

However, Quebec doctors don't have the option of switching back and forth between public and private systems and so must choose one or another.

Under the plan to reshape medicare, patients would have the option of paying for some non-emergency procedures, such as knee or hip surgeries. The health-care reforms would also allow doctors to practise in both public and private health care systems.

Another reform proposes to expand alternatives for private health insurance on treatments that may not be covered in the future, including emerging technologies and drugs not covered by Alberta Health. Still another aims to free doctors by allowing nurses and pharmacists to make clinical care and treatment decisions.

Public health-care advocates have often warned that allowing doctors to work both sides eventually shifts resources into for-profit care.

But in a health policy document released Tuesday, Klein's government said the change would lower overall waiting times overall.

"Greater flexibility and reduced wait-lists could be achieved by allowing both public and private providers to offer enhanced services and expedited access . . . at an appropriate charge," the plan says.

Evans later conceded that the plan won't necessarily have that result.

"It, of its own accord, may not help the public system by withdrawing people. But it's the work that we're doing in the public system that will help.

"These will be alternatives for people that can afford to pay for them."

Speaking later, Premier Ralph Klein acknowledged he didn't know whether the proposed reforms would reduce health costs in Alberta or simply the government's share of them.

Still, he said something must change.

"The health system must change to survive, and all premiers agree on that. The federal health minister agrees."

Federal Health Minister Tony Clement responded to the announcement by saying he will study the health care reforms.

"The question I have is the same question that Albertans will be asking -- how does any particular solution that is posed by the government of Alberta ensure that accessibility in the public system will not only be maintained but enhanced?" Clement said.

When pressed by reporters on whether the proposed changes would contravene the Canada Health Act, Clement wouldn't comment.

The plan was quick to draw criticism from Alberta's opposition parties.

"If you stand for improving the public health system why don't you just improve the health system instead of dismantling it?" Liberal Opposition Leader Kevin Taft asked in the provincial legislature.

"This is a disastrous policy."

Liberal Opposition health critic Laurie Blakeman said the reforms would allow doctors to perform the least complex operations in their private practice, leaving the riskier, more expensive procedures to public institutions.

"We have a capacity problem," she told The Canadian Press. "Allowing doctors to move out of the public system is not going to make that problem go away."

The leader of the province's New Democrat party wanted to know why the premier didn't discuss the plan during the last election.

"I asked the premier whether or not they had a plan for privatizing health care in this province and he denied it," Brian Mason said.

"Why didn't he tell the people the truth?"

Klein responded by saying that there was no plan at that particular time.

Meanwhile, the Alberta Federation of Labour also reacted by saying the province's plan held an "obvious bias" toward private health care options.

"The Framework document reads like a love letter to for-profit health care providers," says AFL President Gil McGowan. "On real issues it is frustratingly vague, but any chance it gets, it fawns over the supposed superior ability of private health care corporations."

Alberta's Third Way plan is based on the following 10 policies:

• Putting patients at the centre.
• Promoting flexibility in the scope of practice of health professionals.
• Implementing new compensation models.
• Strengthening inter-regional collaboration.
• Reshaping the role of hospitals.
• Establishing parameters for publicly funded health services.
• Creating long-term sustainability and flexible funding options.
• Expanding system capacity.
• Paying for choice and access while protecting the public system.
• Deriving economic benefits from health services and research.

With a report from CTV's Sarah Galashan and Calgary's Kirk Heuser and files from The Canadian Press