Recently appointed Senator Dr. Duane Sands says he feel as though we are closer to the National Health Insurance(NHI) product than we have been in recent months.
In the past few months, Dr. Sands has lambasted the government for its delay of NHI which was supposed to meet the first phase in May.
“We’re closer to a practical NHI product than we have been previously,” he said.
“I think all patriotic Bahamians should be working together to get closer to universal health care
“We’ve come to a point now where the government is finally listening to the various stakeholders. They have invited the participation finally of many people that were only allowed to listen but not participate.”
In the past Dr. Sands has lambasted the government for it constant delay of NHI.
Dr. Sands who is very vocal on NHI and its implementation also said that the government cannot give a price as to what it will cost because they don’t know what it will be yet despite the implementation of the first phase in five days.
According to Dr. Sands, no cost related information has been released because the government doesn’t know what it will cost as yet, despite the fact that it was supposed to hit the first stage in January.
“I don’t think the government has given us a timeline that they believe the newly reworked NHI will be ready for rollout,” he said.
Obviously we missed the deadline of January 2016, here we are now in June 2016. I have heard suggestions that perhaps it will be October 2016.”
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 person to possess a National Health Insurance (NIB) smart card. Registration for the smart card started yesterday at noon.
The primary health care coverage phase includes 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.
