OBA: ‘How Will Such A Programme Be Funded?’

November 7, 2018

Patricia Gordon Pamplin“A promise to pay health insurance for those aged over 90, as outlined during the PLP’s Delegates conference, raises a series of questions – not least whether it is financially sustainable in the long-term, according to Shadow Health Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin.

This follows after comments from MP Chris Famous at the PLP Delegates Conference last month [about 43 minutes into the video in that article], with Mr Famous saying, “The Junior Minister of Finance says we are going to pay health insurance for people 90 years or older.”

“We have just seen a report outlining how Bermuda’s population is getting older, so I have to ask is such a programme sustainable,” Ms Gordon-Pamplin said.

“How will such a programme be funded given the growing population of seniors against the shrinking numbers of younger population in the workforce? Will health care costs increase for younger people in order to fund this?

“Other important issues that Government must explain include whether it will be means tested or will the wealthy get the benefit as well and will the aggregate payout be capped? How does this fit in with the pension sustainability as recently articulated by the Government?

“While I appreciate that we must help our seniors in as many ways as we can, we cannot do so unless we are convinced that this is a financially stable and affordable plan.”

She added that the Throne Speech is coming and she hoped the Premier “goes into detail about this proposal to allay concerns that this is just a return to the PLP modus operandi of expenditure of public funds to buy private votes.”

There has not been an official statement from the Government about this, however we asked the Government and PLP for comment and will update if able, and the Throne Speech is set to take place on Friday, where the Government will unveil their legislative agenda for the coming year.

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Comments (27)

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  1. sandgrownan says:

    It isn’t sustainable, and Famous has no idea.

    • Onion Juice says:

      Well SpongeBob told seniors that money dont grow on trees, and turn around and pulled over $70 Million out off thin air for a sailboat race for Billionaires.

      • inna says:

        Man, your life must be eventful always dwelling on the past!!

        You and your PLPers are the government, get on with governing!!!

      • sandgrownan says:

        There’s a difference though…but you know that don’t you.

      • 2 Bermudas says:

        Hahaha!! Even if we believe your silly narrative it pales in comparison to some of the failures of your beloved PLP.

        Port Royal
        Court Building
        Berkley
        Heritage Wharf
        Etc…

        Keep drinking de titty milk!!

        • Wahoo says:

          “Failures”? I think that is polite way of putting it.

        • johnny says:

          and the airport blunder is bigger than all of those combined!

          • Wahoo says:

            How so?

          • question says:

            Oh yes I forgot. Chris Famous said we can build an airport for $100m. A number pulled straight out of his @$$, like everything else he says. But that was before the election, when he had to deceive us.

          • Toodle-oo says:

            Isn’t it the same thing as the hospital that no-one seemed to mind ? ?

      • WarrenB says:

        If I asked you for $70, and gave you back $350, would you moan at that too?

        • Ok says:

          Sure but that’s not what happened! PWC report is full of sh$$! All profits and no expenses! If you do the math we lost money and the 40 Thieves made a killing through relaxation of import duties! Just follow the money!

      • The real Terry says:

        Yes O J but Bob Richards is smarter than anyone on your side, so you do not have anyone capable of getting a 500 % return on an investment. Please answer where you will get it from.

      • I say drink! says:

        I say we make a call for everyone to “Drink, drink, drink” every time Onion Juice says “Sailboat (or boat) race for Billionaires”. I think anyone who is that blind with hatred deserves a toast from time to time.

  2. 2 Bermudas says:

    Easy, titty milk and BurtCoin!! Ha ha ha!!

  3. Adrianne says:

    I know RAISE EVERYONES TAXES

    • gustav says:

      no , no , no
      just raise the taxes of the evil foreigners, because we don’t need them .

  4. eyes wide open says:

    Chris Famous as usual running his mouth about things he dosn’t know

  5. Sister Nancy says:

    Famous is famous with his cock and bull stories. Cannot believe a word he says he would have this island bankrupt with a few months. Keep on listening to Famous and friends.

  6. Portia says:

    Well, we are already doing it. The majority of people on financial assistance are seniors, and when you enroll in FA you are covered by health insurance (HIP or Futurecare). Many people end up running out of pension funds by the age of 90, except for the most wealthy and those receiving a healthy defined benefit pension (which are becoming more rare). So it is not a question of “finding” the money, we are and will likely continue to be paying health care for most folks over the age of 90, which is why Government is looking to increase the retirement age to encourage people to work longer.

  7. Dear Patty P.:
    Now! Now! Now!!
    Where are the funds from the government purse used for your trip to the Olympics.
    You and Richards PUT IT back!!
    That nonsense is a part of the rationale for SOME Bermudians voting you and your band OUT!!
    DISHONESTY!!

    • 2 Bermudas says:

      If you think that was a waste of money what do you call:

      $800m unaccounted for
      Berkley
      Port Royal
      Heritage Wharf
      TCD
      Playboy Mansion
      Beyonce
      Black Mayor’s Conference
      Faith Based Tourism
      Global Hue

      I could go on and on… Keep drinking de titty milk!!

  8. Ben S says:

    What a stupid idea.

  9. Wake Up says:

    They don’t care about seniors. They don’t care about Bermuda. They care about pandering to whatever majority they believe will keep them in power the longest.

    Make no mistake – Bermuda will hurt. But a few people will be comfortable and long gone. And the hurting people will be blaming everyone and everything but the very people that did it.

  10. Kathy says:

    It is time we start becoming a bit realistic in this country. It is a great idea to fund health care for our seniors, even people younger who are over the retirement age (who picked 90 years old anyway?), but in order to fund it we have to raise money, as Ms Gordon-Pamplin points out. With less and less foreign workers in this country, it means less rent money, less restaurant spending, less entertainment spending, we all lose in Government payroll tax revenue and spending power.

    It is time to start discussing a personal flat tax in Bermuda – 5% – 10% of wages – to be paid by the employee and not the employer! We already know we are terrible with trying to cut spending and right now we are dicing apples and trying to turn them into oranges.

    Let’s just assume we have $3,000,000,000 in wages per year (which includes all remuneration – salaries, bonuses, housing allowances) and this number is probably very conservative, we could easily raise $150,000,000 – $300,000,000 each year to pay for things like pay 1/2 cost of health care for our retired seniors ($90,000,000), 1/2 costs of day care for our children ($30,000,000), improving the quality of our education system ($80,000,000) and have enough left over to start even minimally tackling our $2,500,000,000 debt with $100,000,000 per year!

    At some point we have to face reality. Unfortunately, no one is ever going to get elected on that ticket!