Peter Crawford Smith
An Article taken from Free Press
April 3rd, 2009 with permission of Desiree James
National Health Insurance Plan in Turks and Caicos
Later this year, enrollment will begin for the National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP). Over the past year, the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands has embarked on a process of public consultation on the proposals for NHIP. The National Health Insurance PLan is dedicated to the health and wellness of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, offering security and peace of mind. It will provide protection against the rising costs of health care and allow all the people of the TCI to have equal access to the world-class health care services that the new Interhealth-run hospital complexes will provide. National Health Inusrance will also provide access to private local and international medical professionals though its contracts with local private providers and coverage of medically necessary overseas care.
Government Contribution
The Government will not reduce its contibution to health care as a result of the NHIP. Rather, to ensure that contribution rates for the people of the TCI are affordable and equitable, the Government will contribute almost half of the costs of Nation Health Insurance. It will also continue to provide public health services and primary care on the Family Islands. The Government's contributions will allow NHIP to provide a full package of primary care, hospital services and outpatient specialty and diagnostic services for only 5% of wages or earnings, split evenly between the employer and employee. The proposal is therefore that NHIP will cost you only 2.5% of your wages.
Support for NHIP
So far, most TCI Islanders attending Town Hall and Stakeholder Meetings on NHIP
between December and February have expressed support for the Plan.
The majority of respondents to polls administered at the meetings indicated support
for the introduction of NHIP. The level of support averages at 76.8% of the sample
with the majority of respondents giving favourable responses on the proposed 5%
contribution shared between employer and employee. Those respondents said that the
contribution was either "Reasonable" (39.7% of sample) "Affordable" (39.7%) and
"Fair Value for Money"(13.9%). Only 5.3% suggested the cost as "Too High" and 1.3%
said it was "Unaffordable". It is also important to note that these contributions
will cover you and your family. This means that if your spouse doesn't work, and
you have children, they are all covered for full health care benefits for just 2.5%
of your wages. The Government will also pay for care for indigents, prisoners,
non-contributing pensioners and the formally unemployed. Funding from NHIP will
come from the Government and the contributions from employers and employees with a
small amount coming from co-payments at the time of Service.
