Health Minister blames NHI problems on ‘day-one’ withdrawal
Health Minister Vincent Wheatley has argued that long-standing problems with the National Health Insurance (NHI) system began when funds were withdrawn immediately after the programme launched in 2015, despite recommendations against doing so.
Wheatley said early actuarial advice warned that the system needed time to build reserves before payouts were made.
“One of the first things the very first report said, do not withdraw from your account until after one year of savings,” Wheatley said on the Talking Points show. “They estimate it would take about 12 months to build up that fund. On day one, they withdraw. Day one.”
According to Wheatley, the first withdrawal reportedly came after a motorcycle accident on the same day the programme started. “So we are still trying to catch up from that day one experience,” Wheatley explained.
The minister made the remarks while discussing concerns about the territory’s healthcare system, including staffing shortages, infrastructure upgrades and the delayed implementation of salary increases for healthcare workers.
Negligence of successive governments
During the interview, Wheatley acknowledged that successive governments received reports outlining how to improve the sustainability of NHI but failed to implement the recommendations fully.
“These reports have been there, and I could tell you if they were implemented years ago, you wouldn’t have had this conversation now,” Wheatley stated. “Sometimes decisions — the things that they ask you to do — are not [always] politically popular.”
The NHI programme was introduced in the Virgin Islands in 2015 under the administration of former Premier Dr D Orlando Smith. Since then, residents and healthcare providers have repeatedly raised concerns about reimbursement rates, contribution levels and the programme’s long-term sustainability.
Wheatley said a new actuarial review is expected to go before Cabinet soon and will outline measures needed to keep the system financially viable.
“They don’t speak of it as sustainable or not,” Wheatley explained. “What they speak to is how to make it sustainable.”
Healthcare reforms
The Health Minister also defended the government’s healthcare reforms, pointing to ongoing hospital upgrades, preventative health programmes and efforts to improve staff compensation packages.
“We are now at the implementation stage,” Wheatley said of the Health Services Authority’s strategic plan. “Healthcare has come a very, very long way, and I’m very happy at where we are.”
The government has previously said that reforms to NHI and the wider healthcare system are expected to require legislative changes involving the Health Services Authority, the Social Security Board, and the NHI system itself.
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Not going to mention the main issue which is controlling costs and claims from outside providers. Whatever, carry on.
The doctors are ripping off NHI.
No the problems began because yuou all had no laws in place against doctors raising their fees. Why is it an eye exam at teh round about went from 50 dollars to 250 after nhi came on board, greed
Now Vincent Wheatley is an HONORABLE man the truth will always set you free. We on the streets call NHI the HESVAN SCHEME aka THe Medical Practice Get Rich Quick Scheme.
Then day two should fix what it sees need fixing. Instead, it continues to blame, but never presenting a solution.
So who had control on day 2 as you mention ? And day 3,4,5,…… and on .And who controls the obstrutionist board that will ensure no reforms are made under the VIP. Talk that. People need to open their eyes or they will continue to be fleeced while pointing at the wrong peson.And that is exactly what they want, bcause if someone else has the blame they can keep fleecing. SMH
But all the private health care eating good , sound like rig system to exploit funds , for certain group of people, forcing tax payers to pay whil the private eat good and main hospital poorly run with out medical board keep putting inexperienced people on theses board just to get stipend, how sad , nest auto all these critical Infrastructure with AI ,from hr customer service, pay roll, now Cisco have AI in their router or may 3 looking I to cloud base os like chrome os flex or maybe google new Aluminum OS hybrid Operatimg with gemmi at the core of everything lol, so or later it will come to pass , can’t keep play analog in a digital world lol
Private health companies taxing the public with no noticeable improvement in services just greater profits for the Dr’s who now have new buildings new cars and power boats. Government pretending to be concerned but merely waiting to put the tax up to solve a problem they themselves have created.
Employers not playing the employees SS AND NHI. I have my payslip to show. NHI LOCKED DOWN THE DELINQUEN EMPLOYERS ACCOUNT CAUSING US TO PAY FOR PRESCRIPTIONS AND DOCTOR BILLS. In order for me to get my blood work done I have to pay 550.00 out of pocket. This is so wrong. Please Mr. Wheatley, have them unlock the delinquents employers accounts so that the employees can get their benefits. Thank you
Monitoring and regulations need to be in place to prevent the highly inflated medical costs in the BVI.
That is some irresponsible stuff here. Who to blame?
The vast majority of the population here do NOT know that private healthcare facilities are NOT regulated. Ponder that for a moment folks!
That is why some unfortunate persons have lost their lives and suffered at the hands of some of these ‘doctors’. Many of these private practitioners have not been completed their medical residencies and are just practicing bad medicine on unsuspecting patients. I’ve had personal experience whereby two family members got bad treatment from a private facility and one ultimately died. The other has to endure weeks of rehabilitation and lost body parts as a result of being under the care of private healthcare until the public healthcare system saved his life.
So while they (private practitioners) are exploiting the system all the while lip service is being paid; the public endure and suffer! As someone said in this article, the boards in these statutory bodies are chock filled of inept, egotistical persons who don’t have an iota of comprehension regarding the subject matter. There in lies the problem!