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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Columns National Health Insurance has been implemented in most developed and many developing countries. It has been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an equitable system to achieve quality health care and improved health outcomes of populations. Though the application of universal health insurance varies widely, all such jurisdictions embrace the basic concept of the pooling of dedicated funds to provide health coverage for the entire defined population regardless of age, preexisting illness or financial means. This goal is achieved by implementation of both preventative health and treatment modalities, and improvements of health-care physical infrastructure and staffing. Funding is derived from mandatory salary contributions, government contributions and external sources. The current health-care system in the Bahamas is serviced by both the public sector funded by the Public Treasury, and the private sector which is “fee for service”. The Public Treasury, due to the sluggish growth of the economy and systemic weaknesses in revenue generation and collection, is unable to provide adequate funding for the growing demands placed on the public health-care sector because of population growth (citizens, illegal migrants, foreign workers and visitors) and rising health-care costs. The National Prescription Drug Plan (2010) provides medications for a small number of defined illnesses to eligible individuals and is currently funded by the National Insurance Board. This plan is not considered comprehensive. The Catastrophic Health Plan proposed by the former administration would provide health coverage for a small number of defined illnesses to eligible individuals. This plan likewise is not comprehensive. The proposed National Health Insurance plan would provide comprehensive health care coverage to the entire population and would require a broad base of funding to be sustainable. Current economic realities indicate that broad based funding is not achievable during this economic recession with the high unemployment rate and high national debt. The Bahamas cannot afford exacerbation of the national debt, nor burden the working population and employers with more taxes during this recession state. Hence the Government is advised to exercise extreme caution and delay the implementation of the proposed comprehensive national health insurance plan until the macro-economy and fiscal conditions markedly improve. “ Discretion is the better part of valor”
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National Health Insurance also known as Universal Health
Insurance is designed to provide a comprehensive system of mandatory health
care coverage for all eligible individuals.