The minister of labour and health insurance says the plan is to start a special fund where the government is able to assist individuals with catastrophic cases where primary healthcare cannot help once primary healthcare is launched.

Minister Gibson said the government is now starting off at primary healthcare and then moving onto more severe cases.

“The idea is to create a special fund where we are able to assist those individuals when you identify illnesses beyond what primary healthcare would provide for,” Minister Gibson said.

“The idea right now is to start primary healthcare, get it off the ground, once we tweak it, the we would move onto the next phase. That phase may include a comprehensive cost for catastrophic illness.”

NHI will include five phases; Phase one will be registration, phase two, enrollment, phase three, phase four, selective catastrophic coverage, phase five full benefits coverage.

Enrollment of NHI requires all persons to possess a National Health Insurance (NIB) smart card.

Registration for the smart card started yesterday at noon.

The primary health care coverage phase included visits to your doctor, prevention services, diagnostics and medication through a primary care provider.

Primary care services will be provided to all persons registered at no cost at point of service and with no tax imposed.