New Health Plan, New Costs? Panton Questions NHI Scheme

Talk of healthcare reform is intensifying, with the opposition now questioning how much it could cost Belizeans. UDP Leader Tracy Panton is warning that a key provision in the proposed National Health Insurance Authority Bill could hit citizens in their pockets. She’s pointing to a clause that allows the board, once approved by the minister, to require contributions from members of the scheme. With many families already struggling with rising costs pf living, Panton argues the proposal risks adding yet another financial strain at a time when people can least afford it.

 

Tracy Panton, Leader, United Democratic Party

“But what we cannot support and what we will not support is the government using this promise of universal healthcare to pass a bill that is not ready to be passed. It is weak on accountability. It is vague at best on financing; it is dangerous in structure on silence on the real cost to the Belizean people. This bill opens the door for Belizeans to be taxed for NHI, so here is what is happening. We are creating a parallel fund to SSB. So, the same way legally you must pay your contribution to SSB, you will have to pay your contributions to the NHI fund. So, you will pay SSB and you will pay NHI. But the government must be honest, this is not National Health Insurance. This is what I call, a national hustle insurance.”

 

The NHI Authority Bill is expected to be debated inside the National Assembly in early June.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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