$9M owed to NHI from its contributors including gov’t
Social Security Minister Vincent Wheatley has said almost $9 million is owed to the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme by its contributors.
Minister Wheatley made that announcement in response to questions from Opposition Leader Marlon Penn in the House of Assembly last Friday.
He said: “The amount owed to the NHI by its contributors is estimated at $8,865,403. Government’s contributions are paid up to May and June. It (the next payment) is not due until July 15th 2020.”
The detailed breakdown of the debt to the NHI was not made available at the time of the sitting. He, however, said the overall sum owed included monies due from the government.
Nearly $4 million owed to medical practitioners
Wheatley, in the meantime, said medical practitioners in the territory were owed almost $4 million from the NHI.
“The local providers were paid up to the end of April 2020. The amount owed for May to June 15th is $3,892,706,” he stated.
Penn then questioned the minister as to when these practitioners will receive their monies owed.
In response, Wheatley sai they will be paid as soon as the funds come in.
$9 million was owed up until May
The Opposition Leader further queried the intended use of the $7.5 million from the Social Security grant that was allocated to the NHI in Phase II of the government’s economic stimulus plan.
Minister Wheatley responded saying the monies from the stimulus plan was used to clear an estimated $9 million debt owed to medical providers up to May 2020.
Meanwhile, Premier Andrew Fahie had stated back in May that the funds allocated to the NHI from the stimulus plan were geared towards benefitting all the medical providers, pharmacies and other entities, regardless of the size of their businesses.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
How can government Continue to cover costs for visiting private practice?
ALL NHI services should be first serviced by the hospital or public clinics, unless referred to a specialist in a private practice.
Private clinics can charge what they like, as we have seen lately.
It is absurd to expect public health insurance to cover those prices and survive.
Ya dun know better.
Like $78,000.00 for one knee surgery repair, when the average is $15,000.00. In the local market it is $23-25, 000.00.
Man, yo couldn’t rape a donkey like tha fo it kick yo off.
NHI needs rape proofing or we all will not have it when we need it.
Government contributions are paid up to may and June? What the hell that mean. They either paid up to May (therefore owing) or June (therefore in good standing until tomorrow).
“The Opposition Leader further queried the intended use of the $7.5 million from the Social Security grant that was allocated to the NHI in Phase II of the government’s economic stimulus plan.”
So wait… they takin my pension and GIVING it to them providers wit the rich families? Haven’t they raped inough from the territory?
Medical providers’ fees need to be decreased or rolled back to pre NHI levels
Marlon aint got no shame. His party poorly implemented NHI. 3 doctors to benefit from NHI in the party and other close affiliates. Most schemes like this depends on a high number of contributors. With only 30,000 people which includes prisoners, crazy people, elderly, unemployed people, children and select high risk employees being exempt from paying NHI they couldn’t expect this to work in the BVI. It would have been cheaper for government to continue to pay out of pocket for the occasional uninsured person than to implement NHI to fix that and then fall into a deeper hole.
Out of 4 million owed to Medical practitioners , 3.5 million go to purple man
The NHI needs to set a scale of charges , the amount it will pay for different procedures that are carried out by the private sector. . A big exercise but one that is already done in countries like France where the state pays for people treated at private facilities on a set scale.
And that scale should have been set prior to implementing the NHI scheme. The horse is out of the barn and they trying to shut the door now.
Doctor, remember the story of the wee little man in the Bible.