‘Still no updates on NHI Petition’ – Natalio D. Wheatley
Speaking to this media house yesterday December 1, 2015, Wheatley said that nearly two months on, the group has received no communication from Government on the number of measures proposed for what they believe would be the improving of the NHI Scheme.
Just over a week ago, Premier Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith said the petitions and its recommendations were with a committee headed by Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton.
“We hope that the government will be willing to consider the options we have put forward,” said Wheatley when contacted recently.
“We especially hope that the government will consider an NHI that is not compulsory and financed through different avenues.”
'Certain things must be looked at'
Speaking to this news site on November 22, 2015, Dr Smith said, “The petition has been passed on to the Minister responsible for the NHI Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton and he’s reviewing it. We will have a further discussion when that is finished on the issues that have been presented on the NHI.”
He added that there are still “certain things” that have to be looked at before a proper decision can be made.
Dr Smith clarified that while he himself will not be able to make any tweaks to the NHI, the body reviewing it, led by Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton, will be the entity recommending any changes.
The NHI Concerned Citizens and Residents Group, which had on October 13, 2015 submitted its petition against the National Health Insurance (NHI), along with a detailed letter, has proposed a number of alternatives which it would like to see Government consider instead of the scheme in the current format.
The letter was signed by Wheatley. The petition eventually garnered close to 1,000 signatures.
Among the issues considered glaring by the Group are that the system as being implemented is mandatory, that the statistical underpinnings upon which the main study was conducted were flawed and gave incorrect figures for the percentages of insured and uninsured persons in the territory, that individuals and families will be affected, that there is a persistent culture of secrecy, and that the economic viability of the system is in question.
The Group is proposing that everyone could be registered under a private coinsurance pool, that the uninsured should be registered and individuals with insurance that is equivalent or superior to the NHI should be exempted. It also proposed that insured persons can be taxed one to two percent of their salary to pay for the uninsured and suggested the expansion of the remit of Social Security.
The controversial NHI comes fully on stream on January 1, 2016. Registration is ongoing.
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20 Responses to “‘Still no updates on NHI Petition’ – Natalio D. Wheatley”
How can I say this best for you to understand "Done Deal"
Government stop listening to people a long time ago.
I look like he like beating dead horses. There is no one to listed to you all.