PM: Govt burdened by healthcare costs

Mon, Nov 4th 2013, 10:00 AM

Prime Minister Perry Christie suggested the government must push forward with its National Health Insurance (NHI) plan to meet the demand of healthcare coverage requested by public service unions and to bring greater relief to Bahamians.

At least one union has threatened industrial action in the last month if the government does not meet its request regarding healthcare coverage.

"When you look at the amount of money the government is directly spending [on healthcare coverage] with the fact that the government has to spend on the hospital and healthcare systems throughout The Bahamas, the question must be asked, how near are we to the cost of National Health Insurance?" Christie said in a recent interview.

"More unions are asking for coverage. Unions are asking to broaden the coverage for people who they feel should be included.

"It is becoming a huge, impactful cost for the government without there being any kind of payment system by way of contribution to that process."

The government contributes nearly $100 million per year for unions and citizens that have health insurance, Christie said.

He said the National Prescription Drug Plan introduced in 2010, which costs the government over $9 million annually, is also challenged because beneficiaries do not contribute to the plan.

Last month, the Bahamas Customs Immigration and Allied Workers Union threatened to take a strike vote if the government did not provide medical insurance coverage for non-uniformed customs and immigration employees by November 1. 3

The prime minister said the government is determined to address the issue and "bring greater relief to the people of this country". "We need to move immediately to bring in people who can bring very strong focus to the challenges of health insurance, healthcare coverage and costing," he said.

Health Minister Dr. Perry Gomez recently said the government has completed talks with a Canadian-based healthcare company, which could advise it on implementing its NHI plan.

He said the government has also completed talks with an international accounting firm, which could advise it on the cost to implement NHI.

He did not reveal the firms' names and said no decision had been made to engage either firm. Christie said the government is also considering engaging a Costa Rican-based healthcare firm to advise it on NHI.

As revealed by The Nassau Guardian, the government will base its NHI plan on Canada's national health insurance program.

Medicare in Canada is designed to ensure that all residents have "universal coverage for medically necessary healthcare services provided on the basis of need, rather than the ability to pay", according to the Canadian government's website.

Instead of a single national plan, Canada has an interlocking set of 10 provincial and three territorial health insurance plans.

Each plan shares certain basic standards of coverage, but while access to hospital and physician services is guaranteed, it is up to each province to decide whether to cover supplementary benefits such as dental care and drug coverage.

When asked what led to the decision to use the Canadian healthcare model, Christie said after a lot of advice, studies and consideration it was determined to be the best fit.

"It gives everyone -- the providers, doctors, patients, the country in terms of costing -- an opportunity to have an effective system where you have a national integrated approach to healthcare," he said.

"The fact is that we are an island nation, which makes it even more challenging for us. "The advice I got was that when one looks at the system that Canada provides, with slight adaptations, we are able to have an effective system here."

Gomez has said the government expects to know the cost of implementing NHI this month. The former Christie administration said NHI could cost an estimated $235 million annually.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian

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