Reforming Long-Term Care Funding in Alberta

Healthc Q. 2015;18(1):26-31. doi: 10.12927/hcq.2015.24247.

Abstract

Like many provinces across Canada, Alberta is facing growing demand for long-term care. Issues with the mixed funding model used to pay long-term care providers had Alberta Health Services concerned that it was not efficiently meeting the demand for long-term care. Consequently, in 2010, Alberta Health Services introduced the patient/care-based funding (PCBF) model. PCBF is similar to activity-based funding in that it directly ties the complexity and care needs of long-term care residents to the payment received by long-term care providers. This review describes PCBF and discusses some of its strengths and weaknesses. In doing so, this review is intended to inform other provinces faced with similar long-term care challenges and contemplating their own funding reforms.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alberta
  • Financing, Government / methods
  • Financing, Government / organization & administration
  • Health Care Reform / economics
  • Health Care Reform / methods
  • Health Care Reform / organization & administration
  • Health Services Needs and Demand / economics
  • Health Services Needs and Demand / organization & administration
  • Humans
  • Long-Term Care / economics
  • Long-Term Care / methods
  • Long-Term Care / organization & administration*
  • Reimbursement Mechanisms / economics
  • Reimbursement Mechanisms / organization & administration