NASSAU, BAHAMAS-FirstCare Medical Plan and Kanoo Pays have announced a strategic partnership aimed at expanding access to affordable private healthcare across The Bahamas, particularly for unbanked and underbanked residents.
Under the agreement, FirstCare members can now pay their monthly fees directly through the Kanoo app, allowing enrollment and payment to be completed in minutes without a traditional bank account.
FirstCare President Corinna Neely said the partnership removes a key barrier to access.
“For thousands of Bahamians, the barriers to private healthcare have never been just one problem,” she said. “There’s been three: no provider on their island, no plan they can afford, and no accessible way to pay. This partnership removes the last obstacle.”
FirstCare offers primary care coverage starting at $49.50 per month, including doctor visits, select prescriptions, lab services, and access to a provider network spanning multiple islands and the United States.
The partnership addresses a longstanding challenge—how members consistently pay for coverage—by leveraging Kanoo’s digital wallet, which allows users to send money, pay bills, and complete transactions without a bank account.
Kanoo Managing Director Jevon Butler said the initiative aligns with the company’s focus on financial inclusion.
“Healthcare is a financial service,” he said. “When a Bahamian can pay for their health plan the same way they top up their phone or pay their light bill—quickly and easily—we have done our job.”
The platform also supports card-to-card transactions that can function without internet access, making it usable in remote island communities.
Neely added that the partnership tackles overlapping challenges.
“The uninsured and the unbanked are often the same resident,” she said. “This partnership addresses both at once.”
Enrollment through Kanoo can be completed in under two minutes via mobile.
