‘Patients 1st’ Respond To Premier’s Comments

February 16, 2020

The Premier’s “statement that health insurance companies are running the group Patients 1st is absolutely untrue,” the group said today, adding that they have ”never received funding from any insurance company and there is currently no involvement in the group by insurance company representatives.”

A spokesperson said, “Patients 1st Bermuda, the community group against a unified health system, is disappointed that the Premier of Bermuda issued an untrue statement without checking the facts, during Friday’s Motion to Adjourn, under the protection of parliamentary privilege. The Premier’s statement that health insurance companies are running the group Patient’s 1st is absolutely untrue.

Audio extract of Premier Burt speaking about the Patients 1st group in Parliament on Friday

“The group, Patients 1st has publicly stated in newspaper articles and public forums that we originally formed as a physician body to support putting our patients needs first.

“Patients 1st quickly grew to include 12,000+ concerned patients, community groups, private citizens, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, chiropractic doctors and allied health care workers encompassing all socioeconomic groups.

“We are a collaboration. We are working in a purely democratic and transparent manner without any leader for the sole purpose of developing a better Bermuda Heath Plan.

“Let us be clear that Patients 1st to date has never received funding from any insurance company and there is currently no involvement in the group by insurance company representatives. We would welcome them into our discussions.

“We wish to come together with the insurance companies and government to arrive at real solutions to improve delivery of healthcare to the underinsured and uninsured, without reducing the quality of care and broad cover that the population of Bermuda has come to expect.

“We privately and purposely invited consultation with the Minister of Health last week as noted by the Premier for a meeting in March. The purpose of which is to work together on solutions with a representative present from every health care dimension – something that the medical community has asked government for on numerous occasions and to date have been refused.

“Our concern remains the unified health financing – our desire is a better health care plan that achieves universal coverage for all and reduced healthcare costs.

“We thank everyone once again for continuing to support Patients 1st and to work together for a better Bermuda Health Plan. The public can visit our webpage for more information at www.bermudahealthplan.com or email questions to us at patients1stbda@gmail.com and you can add your name to the 12,000+ others who have signed the petition at www.change.org/bermudahealthplan.”

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Comments (22)

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  1. Sandgrownan says:

    Burt needs the help of grownups. Hopelessly out of his depth, and tilting at windmills

  2. Insane in The Membrane says:

    Why is there no talk by Premiere Burt about how fintech will be implemented to improve efficiencies of healthcare to reduce costs? Does he not believe in the very product he was pushing and all its reported benefits?

  3. Trump supporter says:

    25-11 get what you vote for.

  4. Gina says:

    You are so wrong Burt, as usual. This is a cash grab for you and yours. I will loose my overseas coverage or have to pay some crazy rate for what you like to call “supplemental insurance” if I want to keep it…….. That plus an additional $1500 a month (for 3 of us) for your “glorified HIP”, will cost me and my family probably $3,000 a month for health insurance. And for you to say we will still be able to keep our doctors, and copays will be less is Bull! I barley have a copay now! Doctors will leave because they won’t be able to afford to practice here, not to mention the loooooooooooong wait times to see a doctor for a back ache, that hopefully isn’t cancer, because it will take me months to see a doctor and get an MRI. You aren’t LISTENING TO US! You just deflect, accuse Patients 1st of being run by COE’s of Insurance companies…….get it together man, and ANSWER our questions. To date you have kept ALL of Bermuda in the dark because you yourself don’t know how your Healthplan 2020 will work. Can’t there be a solution for the 20% of Bermudians who are uninsured or underinsured rather than take away the healthcare for the other 80% who have it. LISTEN TO US IF YOU CARE!

  5. Franklin says:

    What about the groups that the PLP basically ran during the OBA short stint of time?

  6. Ringmaster says:

    Such arrogance from the Premier. “Who are you, come to my office and show your faces”. This is not pre school, the healthcare reforms are serious matters and the PLP have not exactly been a shining example of openness and transparency.
    Grow up and start acting like a Premier. Start by demanding the BHB gets their way overdue financials current and in the public eye, before agreeing to give them $330 million. In the real world it could be seen as aiding and abetting not to do so.

    • Kareliabda says:

      ?

      • Kareliabda says:

        Can you believe the fiscal irresponsibility if handing over $300,000,000.to any organization without defining on what it must be spent? That’s right – no rules. So the administration, who always fail to see the elephant in the room that is their Own bloated numbers and salaries, will cut costs the only other way they can. By cutting patient services – one Operating Room already closed and the threat of more to come! Nursing positions to drop. Shedding 50% of the administrators would save more and maintain levels of patient care!

    • Oops says:

      He does not have the experience nor the mindset to govern as a senior statesman! I am not voting PLP this time around!

  7. Joe Bloggs says:

    “The Premier’s statement that health insurance companies are running the group Patients 1st is absolutely untrue”

    What were you expecting from a politician, respect for a differing point of view?

  8. wahoo says:

    It’s okay in his mind how so f’ed up everything has become under his leadership. He will just rename holidays and build statues to appease and distract the masses. This island is a mess you can say all you want about the UBP but they never put us in debt and they created a middle class under the UBP both our financial pillars were thriving and we were the envy of all smaller jurisdictions but not now. More than anything we know that this administration cannot run anything without cost overruns and accusations of mismanagement and that is why more than anything else I do not want them handling one penny of my insurance.

  9. Bermudian says:

    Does it matter who organized the group? Point is the PEOPLE agree with the group so LISTEN to the PEOPLE!

  10. Changing Tides says:

    Burt is a Puppet and is only doing what he is told.

    The real story is

    Ewart Brown could be likely behind all of this Health Care Government take over and Brown will prosper greatly from it all, if it goes through.

    He is not done yet messing with our Island home.

    25-11 Get what you vote for.

  11. Triangle Drifter says:

    The shameful thing is that although 12,000 have signed the petition there are many many more who are unaware of what this Government is up to & will not protest until it actually hits them in the pocket.

    By then it will be too late to be complaining. Unfortunately this is the typical MO in Bermuda. Sit & do nothing till it slaps you in the face.

  12. Premier Burt has it wrong here says:

    This is no way for a senior statesman to act toward everyday tax paying citizens who have a concern about an issue that directly impacts them and their families.

    The Premier should show empathy and support for citizen’s concerns.

    Rather, he acts in a petulant manner with a bully’esque response.

    Premier shame on you.

    • truthertz says:

      What do you expect from a ‘leader’ that publicly calls any form of opposition to his policies as ‘enemies?’

    • sandgrownan says:

      HE SHOULD RESIGN.

  13. cpm says:

    We have elected these people to run our island
    All they want to do is follow their own agendas

  14. cpm says:

    Statue agreed so now can we sort out the debt,immigration and health care?

  15. Paul says:

    Zane will be the next premier.

  16. This headline Patients First……we cannot always believe what we read. It is not necessarily the truth!!
    Could be rather misleading, actually!!