NHI seeing reduction in claims
The National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme has seen a reduction of more than $3 million in claims in the first seven months of this year.
This is according to the minister responsible for Social Security, Vincent Wheatley, who gave an update on the state of the insurance scheme during Tuesday’s session in the House of Assembly.
He said from the beginning of January 2020 to the end of July, a total of $16.5 million in claims was reported from the NHI. Over that same period in 2019, he said the NHI had received claims in the amount of $20.12 million.
Providers still to be paid
Wheatley also revealed that some of the providers were still awaiting payouts from NHI. However, he said his team has already begun the process of clearing the pre-existing backlog.
He said: “Prior to the provision of the grant funding, payments to providers were six months behind. Providers are now paid up to July 2020.”
New system implemented in January
Since the start of 2020, the NHI has been using a recently-implemented system to effectively process claims, Wheatley stated.
He said the decision was made following a series of meetings with the local providers, where it was agreed to implement new protocols for evaluation, management and billing.
“NHI continues to evaluate the system to find ways to reduce its claim expenses, while at the same time responding to its beneficiaries’ needs in an effective and efficient manner,” Wheatley added.
In a July 2020 session of the House of Assembly, Minister Wheatley had stated that approximated $9 million in debt was owed to medical providers up to May 2020.
He also said the $7.5 million from the Social Security grant which was allocated to the NHI in Phase II of the government’s economic stimulus plan was used to clear that debt.
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Yeah, because we have all been locked up and afraid to go out !
But seriously… that’s good for the public purse.
… but was it still more than the premiums paid?
like dah
Blame the same above minister who say he flushing out all the waste from the Caribbean islands every single thing will be on a stand still in the bvi watch mr minister,you will be proud to see your handy work.
I have a claim in there for months now and i am still waiting for it.
We really have some dumb F people in office. Of course…you chased away all the tax paying ppl.
Yeah that’s because we were on lockdown duh!!! Smh
Isn’t there a place where politicians can get trained, especially those in office like a crash course?… Because this group needs it… They Just talk without thinking…They have no idea, not a clue how to run the country..
Smh..thats all I can do
That is probably because we claim and receive nothing back, $0.00. You go through all the steps, get a referral, pay your bill and nothing is refunded. The word ‘insurance’ should not be mentioned in the name of this service. There are a group of women who just decide who they will pay and who can just suck it up. Nonsense.
Alright, so we had. $3MM reduction in claims while the nation was under virtual House Arrest. Let us all have news about NHI revenues during that same period before we start congratulating each other, shall we? After all, it’s a NET gain or loss, right?
Dont be fooled, people are sick more, just mean that people cant afford the co-pay, they rather stick it out, deal with the pains, try home medicine… Yep.
they can take all of mine for 28yrs i have been paying.never put in a claimed good by
Only since the 2 weetlies got elected people seeing that they actually d***e. If the shop close the sales will be NIL. People arent running to the doctor as freely as they did before March. People now have to call before they go to the emergency room. how many people getting mammograms, colonoscopy and other detective procedures that they would have annually. Except for baby making, people not really showing up to the hospital but drinking their bush tea. Free up the weed leh we put some in a pot and run rona
Lets be real.NHI saw a reduction in claims because from the start of the plandemic, people were told to stay at home and not visit the doctors office or hospital if you feel sick.We were all on lock down for a while so all of this will contribute to that reduction.The truth is , if you want to see real reduction , speak the providers for the medical services and tell them to be fare.Before NHI a private doctors visit was $60.00 and now because of NHI the same doctors visit has doubled or even tripled for the same doctors visit.Do the maths on a yearly basis.Government is being ripped off because if this NHI system. On another note,i don’t think its fair that people who has there own insurance be in that mandatory position to pay NHI.That should have only been for people who don’t have any insurance at all.Someone needs to fix this.
From first hand experience, and being an analytic and observant mind, the NHI system is one of greatest abused and robbed government systems in the territory.
It is a fatted cow for both local and international medical professionals and institutions to suck dry.
The petty cash crimes some women and men are sitting in prison for committing are like boy scouts activities compared to what is taking place in the medical financial practice daily arena since the inception of NHI.
Yet, beyond those truths that government is keenly aware of, nothing is being done, in terms of policy, to curtail the rampant dishonesty and flat out thievery taking place within that system transactions.
Has anyone ever wondered, no matter who tries, elements of consumer and goverment money protection laws never make pass a one reading on the floor of representation?
Ever wondered why no party, NDP, VIP, all the others and new ones to come, will never get those aggregious systemic problems fix?
The answers are all based on the powerful financial elite and their self enrichment, the enhancement of human short comings, political and human indispositions and disinclinations to change them.
In the end, many are going to suffer and die unnecessarily because of wanton dishonesty surrounding the claimants to that system.
Last, what appears to be free or unprioritized spending currently ongoing within the territory could have been better prioritized into fixing that bucket without a bottom. Such would ensure sustaianability and dependability of that system into the foreseeable future.
The economy, food and medical industries are three critical components of the society. When one is adversely challenged it will critically affect the others, where the survivalability of all three are import dependent.