Dr Duane Sands speaking to the media at yesterday’s protest. Photo: Terrel W Carey/Tribune Staff
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
THE government is “revamping” National Health Insurance to focus more on catastrophic care with the introduction of the BahamaCare Plan and expects a contributory plan of $15 to $80 per month to fund it.
According to Health Minister Dr Duane Sands, the National Health Insurance Authority will establish the BahamaCare Fund – a pooling of funds to manage high cost care across the entire Bahamian population.
While he said NHI is very much at a “crossroads,” there are 33,661 beneficiaries enrolled and benefitting from NHI’s primary care services.
Officials also plan to spend $5.6m on upgrades to the Accident and Emergency Department at Princess Margaret Hospital along with other support services.
“The NHIA will establish a high cost care fund – the BahamaCare Fund – to manage high-cost care across the entire Bahamian population,” Dr Sands said during his budget communication yesterday in Parliament.
“However, the National Health Insurance Authority cannot do this alone.”
“ Therefore, the NHIA will be consulting with key stakeholders, including the private sector, government employees, healthcare providers, union groups and physicians in the coming weeks to get their input before making recommendations to the government about the high-cost care plan.
“Together I believe we can drastically reduce the need for medical cookouts.
“We anticipate a sliding scale contributory plan covering the most vulnerable – expanding coverage to those who are currently uninsured at a cost that is manageable anticipated $15 to $80 per month. We will be honest with the public about the costs of any such programme.”
He continued: “The $40m for NHI in this year’s budget was paid for from the Consolidated Fund, it was not free, never was free... using tax receipts from the people. We hope to outline a plan, which is administered by the existing well-developed insurance industry, but which will likely sell for about 30 percent to 40 percent of current major medical plans.
“Under the revamped NHI plan, the government will now focus its resources on Bahamians who are most in need who cannot currently afford health insurance. The BahamaCare Plan will leverage the existing expertise of the private health insurance industry and healthcare providers in the Bahamas to deliver better services.”
Earlier in his contribution he said: “At the centre of this revamping will be the introduction of BahamaCare Plan to address ‘high cost’ healthcare, or as it is often referred to ‘catastrophic care.’ Cookouts have become commonplace in our communities. They all too often fall short in raising what’s required to pay for care. While cookouts are an integral part of the social fabric and culture of the Bahamas, cookouts for this purpose need to end, and this year though NHI we will take the first steps in achieving this objective.”
Regarding the upgrades to the hospital, Dr Sands said A&E will acquire an additional 30 percent working space.
“This will include new bathrooms, improved examination spaces to increase privacy and clinical management, a redesigned entrance, patient advocate offices, and much needed isolation facilities.
“Other support services that will be upgraded are Orthopaedic and Wound Care Clinics, along with a revamped registration area. Services will continue during the renovations to ensure the public has access to life-saving care always. It is estimated that this will cost $5.6m inclusive of enabling works to the current unused space and renovated building infrastructure,” Dr Sands said.
Comments
bogart 5 years, 10 months ago
EXCELLENT DOC,!!!
Mind you there must also be allowance for the indigrnt, pore, elderly, lil chillren cause tings gettin rough. It must be advertized such that many parents and others who are on the margins do not deprive themselves of getting medical help because the few dollars could otherwise be spent on necessities for those in their care. Many of us who grew up know what mama and papa, grammy often did.
jamani2 5 years, 10 months ago
My dear Brother:
Please, let's focus on the prevention side of health care. What is killing us in the Bahamas is unhealthy living (mainly eating and drinking) and a sedentary lifestyle. You are doing a good job providing us with information. But a lot more needs to be done. Leaders must do more than disseminate information; Leaders dare to lead!
Get the people eating right, get us up and moving--nationwide--and you will see a dramatic improvement in 5 years. Not only that, but we will have created a new culture around food in this country. I know it is hard to change. No one loves corn beef, rice, fried fish, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and crack conch more that me. I have learned to bake, broil, and steam!
My prayer is that God will heal the nation and give our leaders wisdom!
TalRussell 5 years, 10 months ago
Ma Comrade Jamani2, having lost we spirituality best set aside prayer cause it ain't working. Hope is reach out Englishwoman's across pond to set sail royal war ships come heal Her colony islanders through recolonization.... then when native dollar bill loses its value, we goin' have English pounds prop us up.
jamani2 5 years, 10 months ago
TR, I hear you. However, the Neo-colonialists--as seen in Africa, Asia, and the Americas--are worst than the colonialists. They were supposed to be our Brothers and Sisters!
Bahama_Mama 5 years, 10 months ago
NHI is being implemented to cover the rising cost of health care in the Bahamas. More than likely it will require a salary deduction for all eligible individuals. My biggest question is how does NHI intend to deal with the hundreds of illegal immigrants that access the already "free" healthcare. How will they be held accountable for their mounting medical fees ? Are we as Bahamians intended to medically support the immigrants as well?
TalRussell 5 years, 10 months ago
Ma Comrades even at proposed higher taxes be collected from Numbers houses, the combined taxes from Booze has be if being properly collected - greater dollars than taxes collected from Numbers.... And, Booze taxes can and should be the cash cow that can well afford sustain government's providing full BahamaCARE medical coverage for every working or not working, retired adult and child resident colony islands.
Honestman 5 years, 10 months ago
This is a better idea as it presumably leaves those with private health coverage to continue with their existing cover. Government can also subside the cost of BahamaCare cover using some of the additional tax revenue from the parasitic numbers bosses. The last PLP "administration" wanted to shove an unwanted plan down everyone's throats. Many are complaining about the FNM's tax raising at the moment but the disastrous and criminal Christie led PLP government are to blame for the situation we find ourselves in.
bogart 5 years, 10 months ago
......In all fairness...the PLP are not all to blame....actually the current head of Her Majestys Loyal Opposition did an excellent job in his speech yesterday afternoon as carried on ZNS arounf 5.pm and even cited complementary phrases by the now current Govt on the past economic policies.
It must be remembered also that whichin govt is on ppwer there is Constotutionally her Majestys Loyal Opposion to challenge wrong doing by any govt.......not to wait five years later or ten yeats or whenever....to then blame the other side....odderwose we the people getting goossied big time....
birdiestrachan 5 years, 10 months ago
Never mind Sands it is all just Talk. Cheap Talk. Pie in the sky. It is not true. just FNM lies wait and see. who lives the longest will see the most. remember the FNM lies doc all over the place VAT was bad. BAH MAR was bad. the spy bill was bad. Even Raymond Wells was BAD when he was a PLP when he became a FNM he was good very good. Now he is the leader of Government in the house and something to do with BAMSI which was also BAD.
Remember its the peoples time to kill poor people with TAXES, The PLP created the middle class and the FNM will kill them all. with TAXES.
birdiestrachan 5 years, 10 months ago
Doc wants more money out of the poor pocket 15 to 80 dollars and he is consulting?? They did not consult over the VAT increase, I guess the doc say another day another lie
bogart 5 years, 10 months ago
.....some tings yinna hav to excuse ...some.... dese these wealthy politicians on not knowing the pore who they tryin to help.....dey tries but dey aint know da pore.....Doc tries.......but dey never knows how dat mouth weatering saltie saussage with lil pepper taste...never know how dat cup of frozen sugar held together with koolaid juice taste....or iceicle taste when you small.....proper diet start from chillren....slam bam.....but its time mabye somebody learn him bout saltie saussage and cup an slam bam
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
Sands won't know about those things ......... he bougie and uppity. Like his other Lodge buddies dem.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 10 months ago
I would rather hear Duane Sands try explain how is it he personally awarded a $1.9 million hospital cleaning contract to Barbara Hanna's Magic Touch cleaning company less than 3 months after criminal charges were brought against Frank Smith, the disgraced former chairman of the Public Hospital Authority (PHA)??!!!!
The legal advisor and secretary to the current board of the PHA testified in open court that Sands personally approved the $1.9 million contract without any notification to or input whatsoever from the PHA board. In doing so, Sands failed to adhere to the well established written guidelines and rules for the review and approval of such a large contract. He completely bypassed both the PHA board and cabinet in personally approving the cleaning contract with a company whose owner he knew full well (at the time Sands approved the contract) was alleging to have bribed Frank Smith to secure a cleaning contract. THE GRAVITY OF THIS MISCONDUCT ON THE PART OF SANDS IS SUCH THAT MINNIS AND THE OTHER CABINET MINISTERS SHOULD BE INSISTING ON HIS IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION FROM CABINET. FRANK SMITH IS UNDOUBTEDLY NOW GOING TO BE CLEARED AND WALK FREE BECAUSE OF THE VERY GRAVE MISCONDUCT OF SANDS. IF MINNIS TOLERATES THIS TYPE OF SERIOUS WRONGFUL BEHAVIOUR FROM A FELLOW MINISTER WITH NO CONSEQUENCE WHATSOEVER, THEN HE WILL TOLERATE ANY AND EVERY KIND OF WRONGFUL BEHAVIOUR BY HIMSELF AND ALL OTHER CABINET MINISTERS!!!!
killemwitdakno 5 years, 9 months ago
Good rate.
killemwitdakno 5 years, 9 months ago
I suggest the hospital puts on events often enough for its bills as well.
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