Integrated patient-centred care envisaged for NHI
While enrollees in National Health Insurance Bahamas will have a choice of primary care providers, over time those primary care providers will transition into a network of health professionals creating what is referred to as “Integrated Patient-Centred Care” according to the NHI policy paper.
Bowe blasts ‘unconscionable’ overpricing in Family Islands
Price Control Commission (PCC) Chairman E J Bowe said that he found it “unconscionable” that bread baskets items were overpriced by more than $3 in some family islands, asking, “How do they expect people to survive?”
Chamber urges membership tax compliance
The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) has urged its membership to comply with existing tax laws and regulations, noting that where law and regulations are considered unreasonable or ‘overly onerous’, they should raise such matters formally though the private sector representative.
Govt urged to ‘expedite’ Central Revenue Agency
The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation - the chief private sector representative - has urged the Government to ‘expedite’ the establishment of a Central Revenue Agency (CRA) amid growing backlash from businesses over the mandatory Tax Compliance Certificate (TCC).
'No qualifying distinction' between BahamaCare and private insurers
There will be ‘no qualifying distinction’ between BahamaCare and private insurers under National Health Insurance (NHI) according to the recently released NHI policy document.
URCA orders BTC interconnection changes to facilitate NewCo mobile entry
The Utilities Regulation & Competition Authority (URCA) yesterday issued its final determination on the amendments to the Bahamas Telecommunications Company’s (BTC) Reference Access and Interconnection Offer (RAIO), setting out terms and conditions to facilitate interconnection services to other licensed mobile operators, namely NewCo.
Govt finalising 'Patients Bill of Rights for NHI
While the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) will be responsible for protecting the rights of patients under National Health Insurance (NHI) it is expected that overtime a fully independent body will be established as a health ombudsman according to the NHI policy paper, with the Government said to be in the process of finalising a “Patients Bill of Rights”.
IAN FERGUSON: Corruption in business
Presidential and political elections in the United States and around the world have raised awareness of high levels of corruption that exists when individuals with power take advantage of systems where there are loopholes or insufficient checks and balances.
‘No contributions or co-payments’ for NHI primary care
THE BENEFITS included under the first stage of National Health Insurance (NHI), primary care, have been outlined in a “policy paper” released yesterday, along with other details of the health care scheme in the first comprehensive overview of the initiative.
Union chief claims “historic” legal move over Sandals closure
THE 500 and more employees of Sandals Royal Bahamian were yesterday urged by their union representatives to exercise patience as “the law of the land will vindicate them” while blasting the resort for failing to address employees on an impending two-month closure.
NHI will stem out of country spending on health says Gomez
HEALTH Minister Dr Perry Gomez said yesterday that with approximately $80m being spent annually on health care outside the Bahamas, the introduction of National Health Insurance (NHI) and modernisation of the public health care system should help to curb some of that outflow and allow local health care providers to benefit.
Crawfish season “promising” thanks to Defence Force
ALTHOUGH it is only 11 days into the 2016/2017 crawfish season, preliminary indications suggest that “things are looking promising”, according to Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance (BCFA) vice-president Keith Carroll.
Tax certificate demand forcing “cash only” deals with Govt
A BAHAMIAN auto dealer said yesterday that the Government’s “unreasonable” monthly Tax Compliance Certificate (TCC) demand was putting a serious strain on local businesses and creating a “big paperwork backlog”, arguing that the Government’s failure to keep its own fiscal house in order was pushing some businesses into “cash only” arrangements.
Govt involvement a “disincentive” to Freeport investors
OPPOSITION Finance spokesman K Peter Turnquest yesterday asserted that Government’s involvement with the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) would result in neither quick decisions nor efficient business, suggesting that one need “only look as far as BEC and NIB” to see the results of political considerations.
BPL’s request for turnover-based licence fee agreed
THE Utilities Regulation and Competition Authority (URCA) acceded to Bahamas Power and Light’s (BPL) request that its annual fees to the regulator be based on turnover - with the exclusion of fuel charge - while dismissing the electricity provider’s request for the licence fee to take the place of the annual business licence fee.
