The Minister of Health and Wellness the Hon. Dr.
Michael Darville laid for the first time in the House on Wednesday, October 26, a
new National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill, 2022, which aims to repeal and replace
the existing 2016 legislation that proved instrumental in the initial launch of
quality, affordable primary care coverage and services in 2017.
Dr. Darville explained that the current legislation is no longer sufficient to meet
the evolving needs of NHI and the increasingly complex financial landscape
presently in the country.
“Over the past few years, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we have
witnessed first-hand the importance of maintaining accessible primary care and
the impacts of primary healthcare coverage on the overall health and well-being
of our people.
“We have also seen the staggering financial impacts of acute care and the
tremendous burden at our hospitals brought on by patients suffering from
chronic non-communicable diseases.”
He said the best prescription to address the country’s complex health challenges
is an affordable and robust primary health system that can mitigate many of our
health challenges brought on by the impacts of poorly managed non-
communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cancers undiagnosed in
the earlier stages of clinical presentation.
Dr. Darville said this universal challenge was brought to the forefront by the Pan
American Health Organization 30 th Sanitary Conference in Washington D.C . a few
weeks ago, and confirmed at the recent Cuban Health Conference.
“For this reason, I am introducing the National Health Insurance Bill, 2022 which
will modernize the NHIA’s legislation to meet the current realities of the
Bahamian health system.”
He said, “This bold move will certainly bring together both public and private
clinical practices under a common financing structure that rewards performance
quality and service excellence.”
Dr. Darville said the new NHI Bill will lay the legal framework to roll out a suite of
services known as the Standard Health Benefit, that all NHI beneficiaries will
receive what is available now and much more. These services include:
• Primary Health Care Services
• Health Education and Promotion
• Early Detection and Preventative Care
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Pediatric and Maternity Care
• Screening Programs for Cancer and Other Specified Conditions
He explained that the new Bill will lay the foundation for the launch of
Catastrophic Care coverage, which is a priority for the administration.
The Health Minister said this piece of legislation will prove to be a critical step for
the expansion of primary healthcare benefits along with robust health and
wellness programs across the country as the government pushes toward universal
health coverage.
He said through this proposed Bill, all private insurers that offer health insurance
plans in the country will be required to offer the newly purposed Standard Health
Benefit package as a minimum standard of coverage.
Dr. Darville said in this sense, NHIA will assume the role of the insurer of last
resort and will protect the poorest and most under-served communities.
He also noted that in addition to introducing the Standard Health Benefit as the
minimum standard for all health insurance plans in the country, this legislation
will expand the network of providers to deliver services.
Dr. Darville said, “But let me reassure the general public that these providers will
need to meet the Authority’s high-quality standards and they will not be a part of
this entire process unless they prove to be in good standing with our medical
licensing agencies.”
The Minister of Health and Wellness the Hon. Dr.Michael Darville laid for the first time in the House on Wednesday, October 26, anew National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill, 2022, which aims to repeal and replace the existing 2016 legislation that proved instrumental in the initial launch of quality, affordable primary care coverage and services in 2017.
Dr. Darville explained that the current legislation is no longer sufficient to meetthe evolving needs of NHI and the increasingly complex financial landscapepresently in the country.
“Over the past few years, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we havewitnessed first-hand the importance of maintaining accessible primary care andthe impacts of primary healthcare coverage on the overall health and well-beingof our people.
“We have also seen the staggering financial impacts of acute care and thetremendous burden at our hospitals brought on by patients suffering fromchronic non-communicable diseases.”
He said the best prescription to address the country’s complex health challengesis an affordable and robust primary health system that can mitigate many of ourhealth challenges brought on by the impacts of poorly managed non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cancers undiagnosed inthe earlier stages of clinical presentation.
Dr. Darville said this universal challenge was brought to the forefront by the PanAmerican Health Organization 30 th Sanitary Conference in Washington D.C . a fewweeks ago, and confirmed at the recent Cuban Health Conference.
“For this reason, I am introducing the National Health Insurance Bill, 2022 whichwill modernize the NHIA’s legislation to meet the current realities of theBahamian health system.”
He said, “This bold move will certainly bring together both public and privateclinical practices under a common financing structure that rewards performancequality and service excellence.”
Dr. Darville said the new NHI Bill will lay the legal framework to roll out a suite ofservices known as the Standard Health Benefit, that all NHI beneficiaries willreceive what is available now and much more. These services include:
• Primary Health Care Services
• Health Education and Promotion
• Early Detection and Preventative Care
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Pediatric and Maternity Care
• Screening Programs for Cancer and Other Specified Conditions
He explained that the new Bill will lay the foundation for the launch ofCatastrophic Care coverage, which is a priority for the administration.
The Health Minister said this piece of legislation will prove to be a critical step forthe expansion of primary healthcare benefits along with robust health andwellness programs across the country as the government pushes toward universalhealth coverage.
He said through this proposed Bill, all private insurers that offer health insuranceplans in the country will be required to offer the newly purposed Standard HealthBenefit package as a minimum standard of coverage.
Dr. Darville said in this sense, NHIA will assume the role of the insurer of lastresort and will protect the poorest and most under-served communities.
He also noted that in addition to introducing the Standard Health Benefit as theminimum standard for all health insurance plans in the country, this legislationwill expand the network of providers to deliver services.
Dr. Darville said, “But let me reassure the general public that these providers willneed to meet the Authority’s high-quality standards and they will not be a part ofthis entire process unless they prove to be in good standing with our medicallicensing agencies.”
