Health Minister Donville Inniss says alternative methods of financing healthcare are needed.
Healthcare costs cause headache
6/24/2012
By Janelle Riley-Thornhill
Health care financing is proving to be challenge for the Barbados Government, as it is for all governments, and Health Minister Donville Inniss is suggesting that alternative methods of financing, including increasing the number of Barbadians who have access to health insurance has to be explored.
His comments came as he suggested that the current method of healthcare financing is unsustainable and as such, he said that his Ministry and the Ministry of Finance are exploring various options to address the situation.
Inniss disclosed in an exclusive interview with The Barbados Advocate that one idea being examined by his Ministry is the re-introduction of a national health levy, an idea that he is not against, if it means better access to care for persons.
It would require a levy to be paid by all workers and the funds would be used exclusively for the provision of healthcare across the board. But, he warned, if a decision is taken to go to in this direction, Government has to be very clear as to the range of services to be provided.
“I have had some good discussions with the Minister of Finance around the topic of healthcare financing. I do not know yet what will be in the Budget, but I am expecting that part of the Budget debate this week will centre around healthcare financing – reflecting on our past, where we are now and where we wish to get to and identifying some innovative or creative ways of ensuring that we can build a sustainable healthcare system,” he further explained to this newspaper.
He added, “There are a number of issues we have looked at, recognising that NCDs [non-communicable diseases] are our main challenge, which by and large are preventable. So we have looked at what incentives we can offer to Barbadians, besides education, to get them to lead more active lives and reduce the prevalence of NCDs.”
Inniss said that while Barbados has been fortunate to have established a good healthcare system, it is primarily State-funded and even though he expects that this approach will continue for the foreseeable future, he said that increasing pressure is being placed on the system, as persons demand more interventions that sometimes go beyond what the State can responsibly afford.
“...My own view is that this matter can no longer be buried or swept under the carpet and the issue of health insurance has to be addressed. It is true that health insurance is not cheap, but on the other hand it is not the most expensive bill you will pay. Barbadians spend more money on their cellphones than they would on health insurance. I would therefore like to see, for instance, Barbadians cut down the expenditure on cellphones and make an investment in health insurance; I would like to see Barbadians cut out the expenditure on junk foods and go and join a gym,” he said.
Inniss continued, “This belief that you can engage in whatever lifestyle you choose to engage in and when you get sick the Government will find the money to take care of you is a myth – it has never happened and will never happen, so I am not going to fool Barbadians on that score. Barbadians need to act more responsibly when it comes to their health.”
With that in mind, Minister Inniss indicated that he believes that fiscal incentives from Government to encourage persons to engage in healthy lifestyles is the way to go. He further indicated that he has spoken with representatives of some insurance companies about expanding their reach and he is expecting to have a joint meeting with representatives of both the Ministries of Health and Finance as well as the health insurance sector, to further discuss that matter as well as some of the common complaints from persons about the coverage offered by those companies.
