Premier: Public healthcare is the solution to NHI woes
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has insisted that the BVI focus more on public institutions to address the growing challenge of financing healthcare, stressing that the costs are significant and can strain the territory’s budget.
During a press conference yesterday, Dr Wheatley explained that healthcare costs are increasing globally, and the BVI is no exception.
“Healthcare can drive any government to bankruptcy,” Premier Wheatley stated. He pointed to the pressing need for a sustainable solution and emphasised that the BVI cannot rely solely on government funding to finance healthcare.
Dr Wheatley highlighted the National Health Insurance (NHI) system as a vital part of the solution and called for reforms to the NHI system.
He proposed that individuals whose healthcare costs are already covered by the government should be directed to public healthcare institutions rather than private facilities. This change, he suggested, would help ease the financial strain on the public health sector. “Some people may not like this, but it’s the only way we’re going to get sustainable financing for our health services,” he added.
According to Dr Wheatley, the current arrangement, where a single static payment is made regardless of the services provided, is not working effectively. “We need a system that ensures NHI benefits our public healthcare institutions as much as possible,” he said.
He compared the situation in the BVI to other countries, noting that even wealthy nations like the United Kingdom and the United States struggle with the financial burden of healthcare.
The Premier acknowledged that the BVI’s healthcare system needs substantial investment but noted that some improvements would be funded through regular budgetary allocations, not just the recently approved $100 million loan. The loan would contribute $4 million to healthcare infrastructure, but other healthcare needs would be addressed separately.
Dr Wheatley also recognised the need for better-equipped clinics on the outer islands, including Virgin Gorda and Anegada, and reassured the public that the government is committed to addressing healthcare needs across the territory.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
It’s remarkable how quickly the premier picks up on ideas that I blog on social media. There is nothing like time and experience. If we were to put aside foolish pride and discrimination this country would be a force to be reckoned with.
Good move, Mr. Premier—reforming the NHI is essential. It’s going to be critical to remove anyone standing in the way of meaningful change, whether they’re on boards or in operational roles. Expect pushback from those who have been unfairly profiting from the current system, and be ready to handle that pressure. But let’s be honest—those individuals have benefited long enough. It’s time they think beyond their own gain and start considering what’s best for the country as a whole.
There should be pre-approved prices for doctor visits/procedures(they should be in line with what the hospital charges). If a private facility wants to take part in the NHI scheme then fine; any excess costs won’t be covered by NHI.
so how you fixing it by making NHI only usable at government facilities? Essentially giving the ‘customer’ even less for the money you taking from them.
He talks a lot but nothing ever improves in ‘his’ BVI.
It’s easy to say this, but how will Wheatley pay for this? He just borrowed $ 100 million, but reports on how he intends to spend it do not appear to include monies allocated to health care or clinics on sister islands.
It’s also easy to say if you have govt coverage, go to public institutions, but do they offer what is needed? That is what drives people to go private.
If BVI govt had done its home work to begin with, they’d have concluded the Territory’s population is not large enough to sustain this without increasing AND collecting more taxes. Look at the tax rates in countries with successful health care (Canada, northern Europe)
And, not a word on health care prevention through lifestyle. Things like diet, exercise, or access to preventive care.
As to the US, the struggles with financial issues related to health care are largely due to the fact that health care is a for profit enterprise where customers are not informed of costs until after the fact, and where sheer greed seems to be the rule. About 15% of health related costs just go to administration alone.
Interesting points, but I take issue with what you suggest drives people to private practice. The reality is that, as has been noted, some are steering patients from public hospitals into their private practices, which is where the real strain on the public purse occurs. For a population the size of the VI, the amount allocated should be sufficient, but it’s being exploited by unscrupulous actors.
As for the U.S., the notion that it’s ‘struggling’ with healthcare is overstated. The system was, and still is, driven by profit, and like in the BVI, there was pushback against reform because those benefiting from the status quo stood to lose. Case in point: Obamacare, which faced fierce opposition but has since become so popular that even Republicans have quietly removed it from their platform. When people see the results for themselves, ideologies shift. I suspect the same will happen in the BVI once the public sees past the noise and understands the real dynamics at play.
The entire healthcare system is corrupt.WE HAVE DOCTORS AT THE HOSPITAL ARE SENDING PATIENT TO THE PRIVATE CLINC S THAT THEY WILL GO THERE AND CONSULT WITH THEM. DOCTORS ARE WOEKING ON GOVERNMENT TIME IN PRIVATE FAILITES
THEN YOU HAVE THE PRIVATE CLINICS ARE BLEEDING AND SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF NHI FINANCIALLY.
One individual enjoying 3 positions , all co**uption them
The answer to these issues is PUBLIC health. It’s the best avenue to hold the government accountable and improve legislation towards better living conditions for ALL our islands.
Additionally, no, we don’t have the resources to maintain the hulk of concrete, metal and electricity and should aim towards more district concentrated health services, all connected through better means of transportations and BETTER ROADS.
Healthcare can bankrupt any population because it is expensive. Yes. But we don’t need to be stupid with it either.
Thanks Mr. Premier for listening to the voice of the people. What we also need is an active Community Health system that deals with preventative care, Visit the elderly, go to the schools and give immunizations etc. All this happened previously. Now children are going privately to get their immunization (i guess because of time for the parents) There was a government Dentist who visited the outer islands at least once per week and other days in the mornings take care of school children and the afternoon take care of the adults. Where did we go wrong? Never too late to get back to basics.
Is it the Peebles HSP.TAL or the PlES HOSOPITAL ?
Better we not change the name or it will be HE D D LANDO MITH HSP.TAL
Also that way the $400,000 can be spent on roads, sewers, schools, hsp.tals, health centres, health, educations or unfortunately most likely on more Political advice from Wi cock, Clin, Clne or Fhie.
So we’re being forced to use public healthcare facilities and yet we can’t get access to the basic care in said facilities! You’d think that devastating outcome a few weeks ago would have cut this stupidity talk from the Premier. FIX THE CURRENT STRUCTURE BEFORE FORCING PEOPLE TO MAKE PUBLIC FACILITIES THEIR PRIMARY HEALTHCARE PROVIDER!
STOP THIEF and the country won’t struggle financially! Simple math!
First thing make the doctors at the hospital sign a non compete clause. But the management are too chicken hearted to deal with these money clutching doctors.
Insurance, including health, auto, property, causality, etc is the pooling of resources and the sharing of risk. The more people in the pool to share the risk, the lower the premiums. The cost is spread over a wider base, so the individual cost is lower. The law of large numbers is a major factor in insurance. The VI has a small population of approximately 35,000, so the risks have to be shared and spread over a relatively small base,,meaning the premiums willl be higher.
In regards to NHI , there are at least a few issues which are a drag on the NHI, viz, a) small pool, b) lack of a schedule of fees for procedures, which providers will have to charge, if they agree to accept NHI. Now, it seems that providers may see the NHI as a cash cow, charging whatever they want. The programme needs to be reworked, restructured, etc.
Doctors set their own rate and wont take private health care as only NHI will pay their rate. So insurance companies raking in and taxpayer broke. Set rates for healthcare services and ensure those insured use their healthcare in priority to NHI.
Collect NHI deducted from employees from employers, one of the biggest thefts in BVI
@Budget, it is fraud for employers to deduct NHI and ss from employees income deliberatively refuse to submit as required by law to sss? Legal actions need to be taken against tge fraudsters . Their dishonesty does a disservice to employees.. prosecute the the heartless crooks.
The medical professionals who sat in leadership positions in the government’s health ministry put self above country because they all developed private medical alternatives and made private practice more attractive to medical practitioners and patients. What we are blaming government for, really is the result of schemes that started years ago by heads of important health entities with self-interests. How quickly we forget and turn a blind eye to the root causes.