Gibson: NHI report complete

Mon, Sep 8th 2014, 11:31 AM

The government has received a report from international consultants on the projected cost for the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI), according to Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson, who suggested that, based on the report, NHI is doable.
However, Gibson did not reveal the projected cost of NHI.
The government engaged Costa Rican accounting firm Sanigest Internacional in April to come up with the overall cost for NHI.
"Sanigest are just about winding down now," Gibson told The Nassau Guardian in a recent interview.
"They have just given us their first draft. We are reviewing it now.
"Once we have completed the review, then, of course, we will make recommendations to our colleagues."
When asked whether NHI is doable based on the contents of the report and the government's research, Gibson said, "No question.
"Like everything else, we expect there will be challenges because we are moving into a new era of trying to provide universal health care. [We are] trying to upgrade all of our infrastructure, trying to put all of the backbone in place to make sure the system is in place to ensure that it is not personality driven, but an efficient system."
Asked whether the draft report surprised him, Gibson said, "No. The thing about it is they have very extensive terms of reference.
"Of course, [there were] some things we knew, but once you see it, it sort of brings everything back into focus again.
"The information was very, very useful to us, and we should be on a good path to bringing universal healthcare to The Bahamas.
"I think what they did will really help us to put everything that needs to be done into focus because there are a number of things we must do. Some things in the short term and some things in the long term. We appreciate that and think that the report is very timely."
The government has said it expects to introduce NHI in January 2016.
Gibson said he believes the government is on course.
He said once Cabinet reviews Sanigest's report, it will meet with the company to make recommendations, if any, and move from there.
While NHI has not been implemented, the National Prescription Drug Plan is being administered through NIB.
NHI was previously estimated to cost $235 million annually.
The projection was made years ago, under the first Christie administration.
Gomez and Gibson have acknowledged that the cost is expected to be significantly higher now.
Gibson said even with the best efforts to reduce the cost of NHI, it would present a challenge to the government.
While Minister of Health Dr. Perry Gomez previously pledged to make the report and its findings public, as well as the cost to engage Sanigest, Gibson has said the government would not make that information public immediately.
"National Health Insurance right now is being funded by the National Insurance Board," Gibson said in June.
"Once we implement it fully then we will release everything. We don't want to release it piecemeal because we won't know the final costing until it actually happens.
"It would be premature for us to really start releasing figures prior to the implementation of National Health Insurance.
"We would know of course what it is costing, but that would be introduced in course to the public."
NHI has been proposed as a means of providing universal access to affordable healthcare for Bahamians.

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