Bahamas Insurance Brokers Association President Felicia Antoinette Knowles has challenged the Christie administration's narrative that the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme will "stop the cook-outs" associated with healthcare fundraising efforts. She charged that comments by Prime Minister Perry Christie, Health Minister Dr. Perry Gomez and their cohorts about poor black people dying because they cannot afford health insurance are sensationalism and do not address the facts.

Knowles' basic premise is that NHI will not cover catastrophic illnesses, nor will it resolve the chronic illnesses that plague the Bahamian population. She said the government is "selling a dream" when it talks about giving Bahamians access to great healthcare.

"... You are actually giving them registration for the first three months and then you're giving them primary health care. What does primary health care mean to an individual? That's where you present to a doctor to find out if you're okay, or if you're sick and then you go to a specialist.

"What happens if you find out that you have diabetes, and you need dialysis? Or if you have a heart condition and need surgery? You're going to have to do a cook-out because the NHI is only going to cover primary care services."

Knowles also took issue with the Sanigest Internacional suggestion that insurance agents and brokers be done away with because they would mean wastage in the system. That is close to 900 agents and with respect to brokers, 50 or so companies with staff anywhere from five to over 100 -- thousands of people who would lose their jobs if the Sanigest proposal carries the day, according to Knowles.

"Insurance agents and brokers are not looking out for themselves. Our role is that we protect the policyholders... If we're gone, the benefits and your advocacy is gone," she said.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian