Ministry Fact Sheet On Standard Heath Benefit

May 20, 2019

The Minister of Health Kim Wilson released a “fact sheet addressing commonly asked questions about the Standard Heath Benefit premium and BHB funding.”

Minister Wilson stated, “The Government will be transitioning to a more efficient way to fund BHB in order to prevent an increase to the standard premium rate [SPR] [the premium for the basic package of insurance, the Standard Health Benefit [SHB]].

The SHB premium will not increase and the money that has always been intended for standard hospital care will be directed to the hospital. To make this possible, from 1st June 2019 the Mutual Reinsurance Fund [MRF] premium will increase but the Standard Premium will stay the same. This will ensure healthcare money is used only for healthcare.”

The complete fact sheet is available below [PDF here]:

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Comments (19)

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  1. 2 Bermudas says:

    The time it took gov’t to produce a simple fact sheet should say it all…

    • Sheldon says:

      Who put this together?

      I quote: 14. Three of Bertmuda’s main health problems are high rates of chronic disease, aging and high health costs. To address all three, the way we pay for healthcare has to change (in addition to more health education).

      HUH! Explain to me how changing the way we pay for healthcare will combat aging? How will changing the way we pay for healthcare affect chronic disease?

      Minister Wilson, Explain to me how taking another $230+ MORE PER MONTH from my paycheck is lowering costs? Even at the rates that insurance companies have raised prices it would take 10 years to get to the place where you are starting. The real crooks are in plain sight.

  2. Double S says:

    The fact is that the PLP’s decision has cost every privately insured bermudian to pay out thousands more a year in premium costs.

    Is there anything the PLP has made more affordable in the last 2 years. Date someone to answer that truthfully.

  3. Truthertz says:

    As someone else stated on a previous article about this cost increasing decision:

    I trust that all Bermudians are thankful that the PLP Government has found yet another way to kick us while we are down.
    You had promised to ensure that you would LOWER the cost of living and put more money in the pockets of Bermudians. How is this lowering the cost of living?
    Instead you have found a way to increase just about everything in Bermuda. There are hundreds of loyal PLP cheerleaders reading this post and I challenge you all too state one item or service that costs less in Bermuda as a result of the PLPs policies. I further challenge you to find one person (politicians NOT included) that is now taking home more money in their paychecks as a result of the PLP and their money saving policies.
    You have increased stamp duties, import duties, payroll tax, taxed dividends, increased currency exchange fees, licenses for vehicles, increased import fees, added a sugar tax – well let’s just say you have basically increased every fee and service charge available! Meanwhile we get less for our taxes. You have cut trash service, so now I must use up my gas and free time up to take trash to Tynes Bay so I don’t not attract rats to the area. I pay a monthly fee for a water service that is never working. Our transportation service and our education system is abysmal. I am resentful of the fact that you have made such a mess of our public education system that my spouse and I must work extra jobs to put our children in private schools. Many parents and teachers now see – it’s Berkeley first and what is left is for the rest to share. I must also now drive my kids to school because I can no longer trust our transportation system. Our bus operators left my kids stranded at the bus stop (after school) without notice because of an “urgent union meeting” years ago. I will never forgive them for that. On two other occasions our bus route was cancelled (that same morning) while they were trying to get to school. When you look at what has happened with the new schedule – the matter would be considered laughable if it wasn’t so pathetic.
    Now we hear that you have another grand plan to make sure we save money. You will be billing the insurance companies $200+ per month more and you want them to collect that from us. More money out of my paycheck!
    Where are the Casinos? The groundwork was laid for you! That would have at least created some jobs and revenue without asking any working person to pay more. Simmons dismantled the Gaming commission and since then, NOTHING. No licenses issued, to contracts signed, no new or revised legislation! So, for the last two years we continue to waste money paying rent and wages for what! If you can’t get it together, either step aside and let a competent minister take over. Better yet, let the staff do their jobs without political interference. If you are too proud to do that, save us some money and shut the office down and house them elsewhere until they are a money generating department and can afford their own space. .
    The people of Bermuda – ALL PEOPLE- are asking you – NO TELLING YOU – Mr. and Mrs. MP. …instead of asking us to pay more, why don’t you spend less time on the radio and doing press releases about what may happen. Trust me the media and the people of this country will talk and report when we see there is something worth reporting on. Why don’t you all learn to WASTE LESS, travel LESS and WORK harder on real solutions that benefit EVERYONE instead of coming up with a few half-witted ideas and dreams that benefit nobody except a few of you within your circle of friends.

    • Toodle-oo says:

      And here’s the frightening part . They haven’t even started chipping away at that mind numbing debt yet !
      Thanks to them the future looks like a total disaster .

      • Marching Band says:

        I hope they don’t come up with any more ideas to lower the cost of living, because I can’t afford to save any more f’n money!

        Where are all of the PLP supporters! Someone explain how this is putting more money in our pockets!

  4. Not Exactly says:

    After accusing private insurers of profiteering and being bastions of evil and greed, the Minister has quietly backtracked at the end of this fact sheet. The fact is that the private sector consumes less than the SHB maximum mandated rate and has benefited from the savings. The Minister is converting a premium to a tax thereby removing the benefit of low claims experience. This pushes an increased cost on to private sector employees and employers.

  5. sick & tired says:

    So people that are living pay check to pay check will now be in the hole. PLP I hope you have put extra money into Financial Aid, as you are going to have to help these people that cannot make ends meet now. So when companies start moving work overseas, and Bermudians are out of jobs, what will you raise to make up for all of the monies you are going to loose. Bermuda, when will you march on this. How are we suppose to survive in our own country. This is one of the worst things this government has done. How is this taking care of your people. PLP you should not be allowed to get away with this. I see a lot of people moving out of Bermuda, because we cannot live here any longer.

  6. question says:

    I believe Martha Myron. This measure adds $2,500 to $5,000 in costs, annually, for working people who finance their own healthcare.

  7. Stevie Wonder says:

    3 minutes ago

    The PLP are a tax and spend goverment who cannot see where their financial mismanagement is taking us. It is like death by a thousand cuts, at somepoint the patient becomes unresponsive and cannot be revived. 
    When it is no longer prudent to invest here, the trickle of money and people leaving becomes a mighty river and the BERMUDA THAT WE KNOW DIES!

  8. Madge says:

    Stevie Wonder, your comments sure are an eye opener.

  9. Hmmm says:

    “Because the most effected party is the BHB and the SPR will be underfunded across the system without change, further consultation time is not possible.”

    This tells it all..
    1. OBVIOUSLY to the Government the most effected party is NOT the people!!
    2. The insurers have a huge number of valid points that need to be addressed.
    2. The BHB has been working along quite nicely (abet at a loss) why is there such a “rush now”
    3. IS Paget Health Services million coming out of this?
    4. Are proper claims audit procedures in place.
    5. Will records be provided to the insurance companies to allow for underwriting and re-insurance?

    To many questions and no answers…

  10. No No No says:

    Time for those voices to be raised like they were for other things.

  11. Infidelguy says:

    Just read this “Fact Sheet”. It creates even more confusion than there already is!

  12. Jus' Wonderin' says:

    DON’T LET THE NICE WORDS THE PLP USE FOOL YOU…THEY ARE TAKING FROM PETER TO PAY PAUL. THIS IS NOT HELPING ANYONE….

    • Yes Eye says:

      Correction, They are taking from Peter and Paul, and we are paying for it.

  13. Ringmaster says:

    How many PR consultants did it take to put out this propaganda sheet? A glaring omission is they haven’t highlighted how the premium changes don’t impact the Government employees, just the private sector who has to pay for all this. More pain and cost shouldered by the private sector. I bet the so called budget surplus this year will run out by mid year, and more debt will be needed.

    • Anbu says:

      And we private sector employees are labeled as the evil ones. Smh.

  14. Um ahhhh says:

    Bermudians first my backside!!