NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Health Minister Dr Michael Darville said yesterday that the government must consider various options, including introducing a new tax, to fulfill its promise to provide full catastrophic healthcare insurance.
The question is whether it would be a tax directly to the taxpayer (or) whether we would find other means to get resources to pay for the service. But ultimately, there’s a cost, and we need to work out the logistics of how the implementation of the cost would happen — DR MICHAEL DARVILLE
He said Cabinet currently believes a new tax would be too burdensome for Bahamians, but officials must determine how to pay for the expensive expansion in healthcare services which they hope to deliver this term.
Providing catastrophic healthcare would help the administration achieve universal healthcare coverage, an important plank for the Progressive Liberal Party.
“Catastrophic health insurance is a complicated thing to deliver because you want to use risk management to provide these essential lifesaving services,” Darville said during yesterday’s briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister.
“The question is whether it would be a tax directly to the taxpayer (or) whether we would find other means to get resources to pay for the service.
“But ultimately, there’s a cost, and we need to work out the logistics of how the implementation of the cost would happen.”
“Right now, the economy, as far as we’re concerned in this budget cycle, is not ready to address any additional burden to the taxpayer. But our ministry is looking at many other ways to lay the foundation in order to provide catastrophic health insurance.
“So there’s many things that we are looking at. Some are progressive and we are working diligently because we committed to the Bahamian people that we would deliver it in this term in office.
“And we intend to live up to what was in our ‘Blueprint for Change’.”
The Davis administration allocated $10 million in the new budget for selective catastrophic healthcare services.
Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis suggested earlier this month that the provision will not help many people.
He questioned how it will be determined who should benefit from the limited funds.
Darville could not estimate how many people will be helped.
“I want to say this,” he said. “If I have let’s say 20 Bahamians who need immediate cardiovascular intervention, if I was to consult or get involved a specialist to give me a price, if I go to them with one, the price would be higher if I go to them with ten.
“So, when you have this kind of leverage you could compete for services at a better price.”
“And so, this is where we are looking at.
“The way how I was doing it in the last budget cycle, when an individual comes to me in desperate need and it’s life-threatening, we move.
“And when we do move, we need to consult the specialists who can provide the procedure. There’s a price.
“These things are not free. It comes with a price.
“But if I am negotiating for ten cases rather than one case, I can get a better deal.
“And so, this is the whole logic of having resources in place so that you can do better negotiations for services.”
Darville said Cabinet will finalize the policy on how the provision will be used. He said the use of the money will be audited.
“We have Bahamians who have been waiting for bypass surgery, other cardiovascular interventions that are not available at the Princess Margaret Hospital, and they have to hit the road to have cookouts,” he said.
“There will be a serious guideline as it relates to how the funding is spent, but it is for Bahamians who do not have the financial means to access these lifesaving procedures.
“And we’re gonna do the best of our ability. I’ve been doing some of it now for the last ten months.
“It’s been a case by case basis going to Cabinet, very tedious.
“But we have helped quite a few people who’ve been waiting around for important eye surgery, cardiovascular interventions, emergency surgeries, some areas of orthopedics and the list goes on and on.
“So, selective catastrophic care and this line item is foreshadowing what is to come in catastrophic health care insurance.”
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