The AMA remains committed to supporting physicians affected by the end of stipend programs and continues to insist on an implementation plan that prevents service gaps, including reasonable notice, practical transition supports and choice of model with fair terms. This webpage contains:
- Related Alberta government medical bulletins
- AMA's response - President's Letter
- Legal opinion from Nugent Law*
- Town hall recordings and discussion summaries*
- Working group activities and reports*
*AMA member login required
Family Medicine Physicians with Stipend Arrangements
An annualized cARP with updated rates may be a suitable alternative to the current arrangement. Learn more AMA member login required
Mixed-specialty Groups with Stipend Arrangements that include Family Medicine
Some programs have received inconsistent messaging from PPHS, suggesting that stipends for specialists may end earlier than stated, creating confusion and uncertainty. The AMA is actively seeking clarification from PPHS.
February 2026 Update
February 20
A President's Letter was issued to AMA members with an update on physician stipend programs and an outline of what we currently know, what remains unresolved and how the AMA is supporting members through this transition.
January 2026 Update
January 30
The Alberta Government issued a bulletin with a status update on the implementation approach to ending stipend programs. The government has confirmed that:
| PPHS decision | Key dates | AMA's assessment of government decision |
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Stipends will end for family medicine physicians on March 31, 2026. Starting April 1, 2026, physicians may choose to claim services through FFS or a clinical ARP (cARP) at the approved rate for Family Medicine. |
PPHS must be notified by email of cARP interest by February 28, 2026 [email protected]. Interested physicians are encouraged to email PPHS about cARP transition as soon as possible. |
This delayed decision reflects only partial implementation of the AMA Agreement and the Stipend Working Group (SWG) report recommendations, which are binding on the Minister. Prolonged inaction from government has left physicians facing a rushed transition with limited reasonable alternatives. |
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Physicians in specialist programs currently receiving stipends will receive a six-month extension. |
Extension has been granted under existing terms until October 1, 2026. Transition options will be re-evaluated by PPHS. |
Extending specialist stipends without offering timely, reasonable and transparent alternatives perpetuates inequities and delays necessary modernization. The government’s approach shifts unresolved issues into the next negotiation cycle, contrary to the intent and binding recommendations of the SWG report. |
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PPHS is taking steps to implement changes to the Physician On-Call Program (POCP), as recommended by the POCP Review Steering Committee:
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Changes effective April 1, 2026. |
While some changes are being implemented, they represent limited progress on long-standing recommendations. Delayed decision-making has limited the scope of modernization, which continues to undermine the development of fair, competitive and sustainable compensation for on-call services. |
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PPHS will not be implementing recommended changes to the Schedule of Medical Benefits (SOMB) at this time. |
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By not proceeding with SOMB updates (i.e., Standby code and Transition of Care code for family medicine), key elements of compensation modernization cannot be achieved. Compounding uncertainty with continued delays and a lack of reasonable alternatives are contrary to the intent of the AMA Agreement and SWG recommendations. |
January 27
The AMA provided a final proposal to the Minister to resolve stipend and ARP issues. The proposal included a comprehensive solution to modernize ARPs, AMHSPs, after-hours care, the physician on-call program and the SOMB (including proposed new codes for standby detention and transfer of care for family medicine specialists). The proposal addresses acute care stabilization concerns and is consistent with the recommendations provided last year (member login required) from the Stipend Working Group and the ARP Working Group.
January 16
The College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) posted a news article to regulated members to clarify professional obligations that continue to apply during periods of system stress or dispute.
January 15
The AMA hosted a member-only virtual town hall with physician representatives from the Stipend and ARP Working Groups, as well as AMA senior leadership and representatives from Nugent Law to discuss the recent notice from the government and explore next steps for affected physicians.
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December 2025 Update
December 29
The Alberta Government issued a follow-up Bulletin to the notices physicians received from Alberta Health Services, Acute Care Alberta, Recovery Alberta, Covenant Health and Cancer Care Alberta regarding the ending of stipends. The government has also confirmed their intention to finalize the recommendations of the Stipend Working Group.
Working Group History
Beginning in 2024, AMA physician leaders, Primary & Preventative Health Services (PPHS, formerly Alberta Health) and Alberta Health Services (AHS) collaborated through working groups to support the AH-AMA Management Committee’s (AMA Member login required) review of stipends and cARP policies.
Stipend-ARP Resolution Working Group (SRWG)
In October 2025, the Stipend-ARP Resolution Working Group (SRWG) was established with representation from the AMA and PPHS. The SRWG was mandated to:
- Review recommendations from the 2025 SWG Final Report and 2025 ARP WG Report - AMA Member login required
- Provide advice to the Minister of PPHS on actions required to end physician stipends
The SRWG met multiple times between October and December 2025. Throughout this process, the AMA advocated for the timely implementation of reasonable compensation alternatives to enable a sustainable end to stipends, consistent with the principles and direction of the SWG report:
- Modernized rates and terms for clinical Alternative Relationship Plans (cARP), including the implementation of contractual agreements
- Increased Physician On-Call Program (POCP) eligibility criteria, new rates and program expansion
- Consideration for increased after-hours (03.01AA) premiums
- Review of the Schedule of Medical Benefits (SOMB) in support of programs that have decided to remain on FFS.
- Support for programs requiring continuous in-hospital availability
Implementation of these recommendations is pending, and the AMA is advocating for current stipend programs to remain in place or that a transitional fund be offered to physicians if the reasonable alternative as identified in the SWG recommendations report is not in place on March 31, 2026.
SRWG Members
- Dr. Shelley Duggan, AMA Past President
- Dr. Steven Lopushinsky, AMA Physician Representative
- Dr. Michelle Warren, AMA Physician Representative
- Dr. Richard Hanelt, AMA Physician Representative
- Karina Guy, AMA Chief Executive Officer
AMA-AHS Stipend Working Group (SWG)
On November 29, 2024, the AMA-AHS Stipend Working Group (SWG) was established. The SWG was comprised of an independent chair, AMA physician representatives and AHS representatives. The SWG was mandated to:
- Review stipends and develop a report with recommendations that reflect AHS’s intention to end the program and provide affected physicians with reasonable notice and reasonable compensation alternatives.
- Develop and implement a transition process that is in keeping with the principles set out in clause 4 (b) of Schedule 6 in the 2022 AMA Agreement
Through the activities of the ARP WG, a new rate-setting methodology for Family Medicine specialties was established:
- Family Medicine programs – effective April 1, 2025
- Family Medicine hospitalists programs – effective January 1, 2025
Learn more about the Family Medicine (FM) annualized cARP rate and the Derived Day Approach (DDA).
The SWG met on multiple occasions between December 2024 and March 2025. A Final Report was submitted to the AH-AMA Management Committee by the independent chair on May 29, 2025.
WG Reports Summary - AMA Member Login RequiredSWG Members
- Lyle Kanee, Independent Chair
- Dr. Vivian Ewa, AMA Physician Representative
- Dr. Shelby Haque, AMA Physician Representative
- Dr. Richard Hanelt, AMA Physician Representative
- Dr. Sarah Hall, Associate Chief Medical Officer, Alberta Health Services
- William Hondas, Senior Program Officer, Provincial Medical Affairs, Alberta Health Services
- AMA Physician Compensation & Economics, Staff support
As per the AMA Agreement, working group reports are CONFIDENTIAL to members of the AMA and should not be shared or distributed further.