Chiropractors, dentists, psychologists join UHRA

Mon, May 2nd 2016, 11:52 AM

The opposition of health professionals to the Christie administration's National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme as a model of universal healthcare (UHC) continues to pick up momentum. This is particularly so given the announcement that associations representing chiropractors, dentists and psychologists have formalized ties with the United Healthcare Reform Alliance (UHRA), raising the total number of medical, allied health and insurance groups in its membership to a dozen. The alliance - which has outright rejected the Christie/Sanigest NHI model - has reiterated its commitment to cooperate to design an alternative UHC proposal in the best interest of all Bahamians.

And while other prominent bodies in the healthcare profession - notably the Bahamas Nurses Union - are not members of the alliance, Guardian Business understands those conversations continue to take place.

Yesterday, Dr. Sy Pierre, spokesperson for the alliance, told Guardian Business the addition of new entities to the UHRA is another testament to the fact that there are professional bodies within The Bahamas that see the value in the organization and would like to be party to the noble cause of constructing a proper UHC platform for The Bahamas.

"None of the members of the UHRA are against NHI; all are committed to universal healthcare, but we wholeheartedly believe that Bahamians should have the benefit of a model that is best suited to our needs. The UHRA has committed itself to providing an alternative plan to the government for consideration. The new members of our alliance add to the knowledge base within our body and help to ensure that all stakeholders can contribute to the greater good," he said.

The UHRA issued a press release announcing it had signed a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Bahamas Association of Chiropractic (BAC), the Bahamas Dental Association (BDA) and the Bahamas Psychological Association (BPA). In addition to an alternative UHC proposal, the UHRA is committed to "creating awareness among the populace through joint statements and public appearances about the goals of UHC and NHI, and the importance of healthy lifestyle choices".

Pierre said creating a stronger alliance is an important step in the call for "a meaningful discussion with the government".

"We are confident that by working closely together, we can help to develop a sustainable NHI funding model for universal health coverage and unlock the significant social and economic benefits that are inherent in making essential healthcare accessible for everyone, regardless of income," Dr. Pierre said.

Dr. Michael Pyfrom, president of the Bahamas Association of Chiropractic (BAC), spoke to his profession's efforts to offer all Bahamians "a natural, safe healthcare alternative". He said the MOU represents a move toward ensuring quality chiropractic care is accessible and affordable.

"We hope that the unified position of the physicians and allied health practitioners in the private and public sectors will spark deeper collaboration with the government in order to make a properly funded universal health coverage system a reality in The Bahamas," Dr. Pyfrom said.

The Bahamas Dental Association (BDA), headed by Dr. Andre Clarke, is committed to contributing consistently to the discussion surrounding NHI in order to determine a resolution that is beneficial to the public and healthcare providers alike.

And Richard Adderley, president of the Bahamas Psychological Association (BPA), said: "The Bahamas Psychological Association is proud to join key stakeholders in becoming a member of UHRA. This alliance will lead to collaboration between the best minds in our related sectors to ensure an improvement in healthcare conditions and access for people around the country. BPA's members are excited about contributing to such a monumental movement in The Bahamas."

Sustainable, meaningful reform
The signing of the MOU formalizes the relationship between members for the purpose of analyzing and proposing health policy changes aimed at promoting universal health coverage for all citizens and legal residents of The Bahamas, and a sustainable funding model for the program.

UHRA is a coalition of professional bodies and trade associations within the healthcare sector of The Bahamas, with more than 2,000 healthcare advocates from around the country. The group is committed to ensuring that there is universal access to quality healthcare in The Bahamas, but argues that the proposed model for the delivery of universal healthcare is flawed and unsuitable for The Bahamas. UHRA has pledged to provide the government with an alternative plan for realizing "practical, sustainable and meaningful" UHC in The Bahamas.

Principals of the coalition advocate for the preservation of customer choice, improvements to public care facilities, limits to the expansive powers assigned to the minister responsible for NHI, informed fiscal planning, a commitment to data protection and corporate governance that addresses the interests of all stakeholders. UHRA maintains that the government should leverage the existing infrastructure and expertise within the private sector via a public-private partnership to deliver universal health coverage to all.

- K. Quincy Parker, Guardian Business Editor

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