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Who will regulate National Health Insurance system?

Deputy Director of the BVI Social Security Board and the person with responsibility for NHI, Mr Roy Barry responded that the Ministry of Health and Social Development has been given the task of regulating the National Health Insurance system. Photo: VINO/File
Barry also trumpeted the new Peebles Hospital, which he described as excellent and a state-of-the-art facility. Photo: VINO/File
Barry also trumpeted the new Peebles Hospital, which he described as excellent and a state-of-the-art facility. Photo: VINO/File
Barry noted that the NHI is still going through its discussion phase to ensure that the entire public is reached before an implementation date is decided upon. Photo: VINO/File
Barry noted that the NHI is still going through its discussion phase to ensure that the entire public is reached before an implementation date is decided upon. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The question of which body will be responsible for regulating the pending National Health Insurance (NHI) system was raised recently on the Speak Your Mind TV show aired on September 14, 2013.

Deputy Director of the BVI Social Security Board and the person with responsibility for NHI, Mr Roy Barry responded that the Ministry of Health has been given this task.

“The reason why it won’t be regulated by FSC [Financial Services Commission] is because we are all statutory bodies, so it would be like FSC is regulating itself,” Barry stated, “so the Ministry [of Health and Social Development] will be the one responsible for regulating the National Health Insurance System.”

According to Barry, persons accessing care at community clinics would not be required to pay and the NHI would cover the entire bill; persons accessing care at the public hospital will be required to pay five (5) percent of the cost while the NHI will cover the remaining balance of ninety-five (95) percent; while persons accessing care at a private provider will be required to pay ten (10) percent of the cost with the remaining ninety (90) percent being covered by the NHI.

Persons accessing care through a local provider outside of the NHI network will be required to pay twenty (20) percent of the cost of the healthcare and the NHI will pay the balance of eighty (80) percent.

State-of-the-art Peebles Hospital

Barry also trumpeted the new Peebles Hospital, which he described as excellent and a state-of-the-art facility.

“I’m not going to say, because it’s state-of-the-art it’s going to be great,” he added after announcing that he had been the beneficiary of a recent tour of the facility.

According to Barry, “We must ensure that we have the right human resource setting in there to facilitate the infrastructure that is there but I must say that it is excellent and it reminded us of facilities that we have visited in Panama as well as in the US.”

Once implemented, the NHI will become a mandatory programme requiring all legal residents to contribute to the system once they are determined to be able to pay.

Persons, especially those who are self-employed and are not enrolled in the NHI, will be billed for any healthcare they receive but will not be turned away for treatment at the hospital.

Barry noted that the NHI is still going through its discussion phase to ensure that the entire public is reached before an implementation date is decided upon.

11 Responses to “Who will regulate National Health Insurance system? ”

  • Hear This (17/09/2013, 08:27) Like (5) Dislike (101) Reply
    Barry working hard for the ndp but he still not getting the director of the SS job….
  • tom (17/09/2013, 09:07) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Over 65 Free? Children going to college free? Employers can continue to pay for employees if they so desire? No more group insurance? Startup finances for the NHI somewhere in the region of $32,000,000.00.
    Insurance fraud on the rise worldwide.
    • Real Talk (17/09/2013, 18:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      So you didn't hear they wanted senior citizens to pay for medical at the hospital.
  • Hodges (17/09/2013, 14:14) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    The people of the Bvi must have that choice as to who should be their doctors. Weather it's overseas or locally. Cannot hold a people bondage. Sometimes people are not comfortable with a particular doctor and need to see a practitioner that he or she a bit more comfortable teling his or her symtoms
    Let's don't go back what our forefathers experience. Let's have a choice. It's the right thing to do
  • cat food (17/09/2013, 21:47) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    if i have to pay 5% more for better health care, why would I go down to Peebles Hospital? I do not believe NHI would work out for the government as they are hoping.........
  • Worried (18/09/2013, 02:56) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    If gov cannot afford to keep the present hospital going financially now how will they be able to put in the start up funds for NIH? They must let us know how many doctors are in bvi and who they are. How will they regulate themselves? Why tax the people with false notion. This is the first insurance I hear want to tax people according to income. Tell the people the truth. Can bvi afford to keep needed specialists with the small population? What happens if a doctor for whatever reason decides not to refer a patient for overseas care and the patient dies? Ate the people trained in how to run insurance or can they run it as they please. To many questions are left unanswered and bvi slanders are being taken down a slippery slope. Who will really benefit from this tax called NIH, the people or just one or two? Honesty is the best. Be honest with us.


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