According to this Nassau Guardian article, the government "expects to have an estimated cost for the implementation of its proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) plan in two months."
Dr. Perry Gomez (PLP), Minister of Health indicated that they also have to determine how much workers will have to pay to "sustain it" and that it will "undoubtedly" cost more than initially expected.
I wonder what impact the new VAT will do to their pricing efforts.
This study commissioned by the Nassau Institute (pdf), in July 2006, by Nadeem Esmail remains relevant.
This lecture by by Dr. Michael Walker, one of the world's foremost authorities on socialised plans around the world is also instructive.
If memory serves me correctly, Dr. Walker pointed out back in 2007, that if Ontario, Canada continued on the same path with it's spending on their "NHI" plan, within ten years, every dollars of taxation raised would have to go toward healthcare costs.
Is there any wonder Dr. Gomez and by extension the government think that the price will go up?
It's simple economics really. If something is perceived as being free, people want more of it.
Hope you can read the study and watch the videos.
Do you think we will run into cost issues with NHI?
What impact might this have on an already slow economy?
Bahamians best be careful what they wish for, health care is the biggest part of the Ontario budget ( 38.5 per cent) noways and increasing yearly, P.J. O’Rourke said way way back. If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free.
I worked in the NHS in the UK, I left because of it.
The American system before Obamacare was unsustainable, cruel in that the insurance companies manipulate the premiums such that after a life time of payments they deny treatment for major treatments, would not insure existing problems with many etceteras.
There must be a compromise.
Ken 50ish so right ….. free is very expensive in the long run.
And the way our Government run the existing medical system,
will we even recognize it as health care when it is all “free?”
Notwithstanding some fine hard working individual medical professionals, any and all issues are usually systemic.
One would hope that our socialist driven government will look very carefully at the failing national health experiment in America known as Obamacare.. Not one deadline has been met in its implementation and insurance premiums, the cost of being insured, have more than doubled for participants even before Obamacare has started.. Obamacare is opposed by the vast majority of the American people as fear of rationing, denial medical procedures for the elderly (death panels) and that the total costs of Obamacare will ultimately bankrupt the country..
National health is in theory a noble idea, but in practice it just does not work to the degree promised as exemplified by Canada and Great Britain.. In these countries patients often have to wait up to nine months for surgery or to see a medical specialist.. This is just not practical as medical services are being rationed as demand for services greatly exceeds limited supply.. For treatment of the common cold, national health works fine, but for more severe medical needs the system just does not work..
Lets hope that more prudent minds prevail in government when it comes to formulating policies for the proposed Bahamian National Health Insurance scheme.. One has to seriously question whether the Bahamas can afford a National Health Insurance scheme in the first place.. Just as in the case of the United States, for a country that is near financial failure, National Health Insurance could be “the straw that breaks the camel’s back”..
It is easy to understand why you evacuated the UK because of NHS.. Yet the last time I checked, private healthcare for the elite and wealthy still works well..
Nevertheless, I must take exception with your charges regarding the American system of healthcare which was up until a short time age the envy of the world.. For starters, no one is denied health care as hospital emergency services turn no one away.. Don’t believe me, the next time in America if your have a medical emergency, just get in the waiting line and you will see what I mean..
Are the insurance companies as cruel as you a say?? Again, with due respect, I must take exception with what you say.. Medical insurance fraud in America is by far the largest volume of purposeful fraud on planet Earth.. In addressing this massive, criminal issue, insurance companies must carefully scrutinize every claim against individual policy benefits.. Those who are rejected in almost all cases NEVER checked with their insurance companies or agents before being admitted for medical treatment by medical professionals.. Just this past week, one of the country’s largest healthcare insurers, Aetna Insurance, excited New York, New Jersey and several other States because of excessive costs due to increasing fraudulent claims.. In the coming years look for more companies to throw in the towel as medical insurance is just not a profitable service to offer..
The story gets even worse for America, because as these private insurers close down, they will be replaced by a Single Payer System run by the Obamacare administrative system.. If nothing else, such alleged government management will be as you say “cruel” and completely “unsustainable” in the long-run.. Perhaps this could be the final step down the road to serfdom?? Only time will tell..
Wait til you see your NIB contribution rates soar….
The U.S system is great if you go in Feet first,
not so if you walk in or arrive self propelled.
Free in neither instance but semantics……
Gomez is out of his mind. If they are going to push for this & the VAT then they just want to close the Bahamas down, simple as that.
What concerns me is we have come to think it is our “right” to get health services.
I’m sure there will come a day when I will no longer have health insurance if I live long enough (or the companies don’t go bust first) but I cannot see myself thinking someone else should pay for me.