The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Insurance Association yesterday said it is a “strong advocate” of universal access to health care and is “looking forward” to meeting with the government to discuss the proposed National Health Insurance plan.

In a press release, the association said it expects to meet with the government “very soon” and will release their comments on the plan “in short order.”

“The Bahamas Insurance Association is a strong advocate of universal access to healthcare in The Bahamas,” the group said. “We look forward to starting dialogue with (the) government as to how we can assist and work with all other stakeholders in the process of achieving this ambition.”

“We are convinced that our member companies, many trained and high quality technical experts, and our years of experience of being instrumental in the delivery of high quality healthcare in The Bahamas will add value and constructive commentary to the process. We look forward to being engaged by government in the short term and will be releasing our comments on the recent proposal in short order.”

The debate surrounding National Health Insurance (NHI) has heated up in the past few weeks over concerns that the government will increase taxes to fund the plan.

In a report turned over to the government last October, Costa Rican consultants Sanigest Internacional suggested numerous ways the government could finance NHI.

The first option would be a one per cent contribution, approved for the National Insurance Board’s Prescription Drug Plan, and limited taxes on auto insurance.

Another option calls for a three per cent contribution, with two per cent split between employers and employees, and a NIB wage ceiling increase to $800.

The last scenario would include NIB contributions of five per cent and a wage ceiling increase to $1,200.

NIB’s current wage ceiling is $620 per week.

The consultants also suggested increased taxes on items such as alcohol and tobacco to fund the second and third scenarios of the proposed scheme.

The consultants also estimate that NHI will cost taxpayers $362m if introduced as a pared down scheme or $633m to implement at the higher end.

Last week, Prime Minister Perry Christie said he was “amazed” by the direction the debate surrounding NHI has taken and refuted concerns that his administration has already decided to impose additional taxes on Bahamians to fund the controversial initiative.

Mr Christie said that the government had not made a decision on how it will cover the cost of NHI because it was still receiving advice on how to develop the universal health care scheme.

However, he told reporters that at all times the government reserves the right to determine how NHI is rolled out, which would determine any new tax rate to come.