The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

AS the Christie administration faces push back from stakeholders over its National Health Insurance plans, FNM Chairman Michael Pintard yesterday called on the government to slow down its efforts to implement the scheme in order to properly consult stakeholders.

It’s not the first time the FNM has made this call, but it comes after the Consultant Physician Staff Association (CPSA) said it would not sign onto the government’s plans because of feeling marginalised by the process.

The Christie administration has portrayed its critics, such as those from health insurance companies and the CPSA, as “greedy”.

“National Health Insurance is far too important to thousands of Bahamians for the government to allow the obvious time pressures they are facing to derail what could be a clear, consultative and well reasoned approach to implementing NHI,” Mr Pintard said in a statement yesterday. “Whether NHI is successful or not every parliamentarian has health insurance at the people’s expense. Whether or not it comes into force in a timely manner, the Cabinet of the Bahamas has insurance at the people’s expense. Meanwhile far too many Bahamians suffer because they cannot afford the help they require.”

Mr Pintard said statements of concern from those in the private sector is proof that a “huge problem is looming” and that Bahamians in need of services will find that they cannot access them.

“The prime minister must immediately mandate that his team set definite timelines to meet with and thoroughly discuss the initiative with all relevant stakeholders to clarify costs, timelines, services to be covered, protocols, and memorandum of understanding with partners, etc. We join the FNM’s leader in cautioning government officials whose attacks on desperately needed partners are completely unproductive. Such attacks as those levelled by Minister (of Labour and National Insurance Shane) Gibson are merely brazen political posturing designed to impress the very voters who will suffer if we fail to get NHI right.”

Registration for NHI began on Monday. Residents described the process as smooth.

However, Mr Gibson on Monday lashed out at doctors who said they would not support the government’s NHI scheme because they feel the perspectives of those “on the ground” are not being respected.

Mr Gibson, the minister with responsibility for NHI’s registration campaign, suggested that the CPSA and other NHI critics have resorted to adopting an attitude of “if I can’t have it my way, then I’m going to tell the public I’m not a part of the process”.

He added that the CPSA is afraid to express its “true feelings” on NHI for fear that “the public will say they’re greedy and have no conscience.”

Still he said the CPSA’s position will not deter the government from conducting the NHI rollout, adding that the government will not allow any one person or group to hold it “hostage” over NHI.

Meanwhile, the NHI Secretariat intends to release the draft NHI Bill on Monday.

“The draft legislation is currently undergoing final revisions by the legislative team, following focus group consultations with members of the medical community and other key stakeholders,” a statement from the NHI Secretariat said yesterday. “Preliminary recommendations have been included in the revised draft.

“The public should be aware that the Secretariat is the authority mandated by the government to release the draft legislation. Once the draft NHI Bill is released, the Secretariat will advise how and where it may be accessed. In addition, the Secretariat is preparing to facilitate a series of meetings with the stakeholder community once the draft is released. The purpose of these meetings is to allow each stakeholder group the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have regarding the draft bill and/or seek clarification regarding the draft provisions.”