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The Promised Universal Catastrophic Health Insurance Scheme For Bahamians
Related to country: Bahamas

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Catastrophic health insurance:
By KRYSTEL ROLLE, Guardian Staff Reporter -
Nassau, Bahamas:



The government intends to introduce a universal catastrophic health insurance scheme, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham announced yesterday in the House of Assembly.

The scheme will benefit all Bahamians who are inflicted with a serious illness and require major surgery or medical attention.

"You should have national insurance coverage in The Bahamas with no exemptions for all persons -- fat people, skinny people, sick people, well people, those with diabetes and those with high blood pressure, etc., whoever they are, to be able to ensure that if there is a catastrophic illness, you can have medical care taken care of by a national insurance scheme," said the PM.

While he did not give a time frame when the initiative would be brought into force, Ingraham said the government will begin to work on it as soon as they implement the National Drug Fund.

Last week, Health Minister Hubert Minnis announced that efforts are "well underway" to establish the fund.

The plan is expected to become fully operational within the upcoming budget year.

Last night, the prime minister said the prescription drug benefit will address the needs of all Bahamian people.

"So the persons with high blood pressure and diabetes and other debilitating diseases can have their medication, whether or not they have the means to pay for it themselves. All persons employed will pay something into the scheme, there will be no exceptions and all persons will be eligible to benefit from it," said Ingraham.

However, he noted that some persons may not be able to contribute because of unemployment, retirement and various other reasons.

The former government planned to introduce a national health insurance scheme, however, when the Free National Movement took office in 2007, that plan was canceled.

The scheme would have guaranteed coverage for all citizens and permanent residents in The Bahamas, not just employed people. It would have also covered individuals infected with HIV/AIDS, those with mental illnesses, as well as illegal immigrants.

Contributions would have been set at 2.65 percent of a workers' wage, 2.65 per cent of an employer's wage bill and $1 a day for pensioners. This meant that if a person made $800 a month, he/she would have to pay $21, compared to $48 for a person making $1,800 a month and $80 a month for someone making $3,000.

Meantime, the PM said that initiative could still come to force one day.

"The dream of having a national insurance scheme, that will cover everybody to go to the clinic, to go to the doctor when you feel like it...that may come about one day. We seek to deal with things that are doable and affordable. We seek to do things that we can deliver. Everything we promise we will deliver and we will deliver a catastrophic health benefit for the Bahamian people," he promised.

June 13, 2008 | 12:03 PM Comments  0 comments

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