The long-awaited Green Paper on the proposed National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP) has been tabled in the House of Representatives by the Minister of Health, Dr Christopher Tufton.
The minister, who on Tuesday made his contribution to the 2019-2020 Sectoral Debate, noted that only 20 per cent of the population has health insurance, with most of those persons being public sector workers.
“The lack of insurance means that too many people, including the poor and vulnerable, are denied access to timely medical care,” Tufton said.
He noted further, that in 2016, some 32 per cent of Jamaicans reported that they did not access healthcare when needed, due to financial reasons, while World Bank data from 2011 revealed that the average Jamaican with a non-communicable disease (NCD) allocates a third of his/her monthly household income to healthcare.
“We have to fix it!” Tufton declared.
“The NHIP Green Paper… forms an important part of the Government’s response to this situation. This Green Paper will hopefully lead to a final proposal aimed at providing appropriate levels of access, coverage and financial protection to the population,” said Tufton.
He added that “It is a promise we made when we campaigned for office back in 2016, and a necessary addition to public health financing.”
The health minister said the aim of the Government is to discuss the Green Paper with critical stakeholders over the next six months, while refining it in order to have a finalised plan ready for phased implementation in the upcoming financial year.
Meanwhile, Tufton again appealed to Jamaicans who can afford private insurance, to get it.
“It is an investment in yourself, the best that you can make. Also, I want to say to the private insurance companies, find creative ways to get more Jamaicans to get insurance.”
Tufton said he was prepared to sit and talk with the private insurers “to see how the Government can assist that process”.
“This must be a partnership. Private health insurance must complement the proposed NHIP, with Jamaicans encouraged to ‘top up’ or establish such relationships as appropriate, as an investment in themselves,” the minister implored.
And for those Jamaicans with private health insurance who use the public health system, the health minister is urging them to present their cards so as to not subsidise private insurance providers at the expense of the public health system and the taxpayers.
He warned that the law would be amended to fix this loophole.
He said: “Mr Speaker, we cannot afford it. The policy already exists for hospitals to take a fee from these private cards once they are presented. However, this is dependent on the cardholder presenting his/her card, and many do not. We intend to fix this, through appropriate amendments in law. I will be meeting with the private insurance companies to discuss this in the coming months.”
