Town Hall Meeting On Standard Health Benefit

May 14, 2019

The Ministry of Health will hold a town hall meeting on the Standard Health Benefit [SHB] premium on Thursday, 16 May at 6pm at St Paul AME Centennial Hall.

Minster of Health Kim Wilson and Acting CEO of Bermuda Health Council Dr Ricky C. Brathwaite will explain the changes that will be implemented on 1 June.

“The announcement that the standard health benefit wasn’t going to increase this year led to misleading information being circulated,” said Minister Wilson. “We are holding this meeting on Thursday evening, to outline what the SBH premium and BHB funding mean and how the changes affect consumers.”

Minister Wilson added, “We invite the general public and business owners to come and get the facts and to ask questions. This is an important step towards tackling healthcare cost and implementing cost-control measures to ensure healthcare money is used only for healthcare. I am encouraging everyone to attend. ”

The public town hall meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at St Paul AME Centennial Hall at Court and Victoria Streets in Hamilton.

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Comments (11)

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  1. Hmmmm says:

    Why not invite the insurance providers so we can get to the truth behind the government money swap???

    • sandgrownan says:

      That’s an interesting way of putting it – but the point is well made. This is essentially papering over the fiscal cracks. But what next, when it runs out, what’s left?

      They really are unbelievably incompetent.

      • Yes Eye says:

        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.

        • Cost of living says:

          Couldn’t have said it better.

          My disposable income has all but disappeared due to the Government’s greed for more and more taxes and higher fees.

          PLP you have failed miserably in your promise to make BDA more affordable and yet you lot act like you are ‘for the people.’

  2. Joe Bloggs says:

    “We invite the general public and business owners to come and get the acts and to ask questions.”

    I would suggest health insurers attend too, as two of them have said they do not have sufficient information on what the planned changes are.

  3. truthertz says:

    the Government should allow the private insurers to have an opportunity to present their case at the meeting. But I am pretty sure the PLP won’t allow the truth to get in the way of a good story.

  4. Evie says:

    Come on let’s be honest the health insurance companies don’t have out best interest at heart they take take take every year our health insurance goes up and our copay gets bigger please

    • Politricks says:

      If the copay goes up it is generally because doctors continue to increase their fees.

    • Rog says:

      They indeed have profits as their main objective, but they are business people.. they know their supply/demand and income/expense topics well and have been doing so for a while.

      They do not just raise premiums because they want more profit… they are well aware that this is a quick way of having customers leave. Premiums go up mainly because costs go up… usually from claims, but apparently in this case from potential govt fund restructuring.

  5. Ringmaster says:

    Have a schedule of approved costs and control what healthcare providers can charge. That will save tens of millions of dollars but it won’t happen because they put profit first. On another matter, what happens if the hospital uses its $330m fund before year end? Do they shut down? Is it topped up and if so by who, the taxpayer no doubt.

    • Joe Bloggs says:

      How dare you question the PLP Government!