Uninsured services

About Uninsured Services

Physicians charge fees for uninsured services, such as completing medical legal reports, completion of insurance forms, providing sick notes for employers, completion of a driver’s medical form, transfer of medical records, etc. 

The fees they charge are to cover professional costs for their time, administrative costs and direct costs like clerical time and resources or supplies and equipment used, as well as indirect overhead costs.

There are guidelines for fees related to uninsured services, but the guide is not public because it does not set specific fees that physicians and clinics are obliged to charge for uninsured services. The AMA assists with establishing fee guidelines, however, we do not set the fees. Fees will vary from clinic to clinic and sometimes from physician to physician depending on business, professional and other factors.

Physicians or their clinic staff are obligated to ensure that patients are aware of and agree to fees for uninsured services before the service is provided. For more information, please review the College of Physicians and Surgeons Standard of Practice related to Charging For Uninsured Professional Services.  

Patients must be informed of the fee before the uninsured service is provided. Payment is expected when you receive the service.

*You or a third party – such as an employer, insurance company, lawyer or school – may request your physician to complete a form, report, letter, etc. Provision of these types of uninsured services requires the time, expertise (and office materials) of your doctor and her/his staff. In some cases, a physical examination may also be required. You (or the third party) will be charged a fee to cover these costs.

What's covered by AHCIP

The Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) pays for many of the services a patient may receive from their physician. The following uninsured services are NOT covered by the AHCIP:

• Transfer of medical records NOTE: For information on patient accessing/ obtaining a copy of medical records, view How to Request a Copy of Your EHR on the Alberta Health website. For information on how fees are assessed for this service, see Regulated fee schedule under the HIA on this website.
• Telephone prescription renewals
• Travel advice and immunizations
• Some de-insured procedures (e.g., circumcision, wart removal)
• Forms, reports or letters*

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