From:TheBahamasWeekly.com
Who is representing the consumer in this NHI debate?
By Noelle Nicolls
Dec 2, 2015 - 2:29:20 PM
Dear Editor,
As The Bahamas embarks on the
implementation of national health insurance I wonder if I am the only one
feeling clueless. I’d really like to know who is representing the consumer’s interest
in this NHI debate.
I feel somewhat ashamed to
admit that as a consumer I have no idea what the hell is going on in this NHI
debate. I’m ashamed because I am a pretty educated person who keeps up with
current affairs but I have no idea what is going on. I know I don’t trust one
word that comes out of Bradley Roberts’ mouth, so when I see his name next to
an NHI headline, I don’t read the article. The same goes for any NHI stories
that have a whiff of a political angle. I am probably shooting myself in the
foot by doing so, but I refuse to get spun around by the madness of political
propaganda.
I have a selfish interest when
it comes to NHI. I have no health insurance: not because I can’t afford it and
not because I don’t want it. My insurer Generali booted me off my plan when I
switched jobs (should be illegal). They would not re-insure me because I had a
pre-existing condition: an unfortunate case of a rare kidney disease, despite
being young and otherwise healthy. So I don’t have health insurance because no
Bahamian insurer will insure me. And the gatekeepers have to give me permission
to seek insurance outside the country. In other words, on the private insurance
market in The Bahamas, I am screwed for life. Needless to say, I do not think
highly of insurance companies. I see them as a necessary evil.
In fairness, the little I know
is that private insurers do not oppose mandatory health insurance. They don’t
event oppose insuring people with pre-existing conditions in the context of
NHI. One insurer told me the reason they don’t currently insure people with
pre-existing conditions is because the insurance pool is too small. With
mandatory health insurance it will widen the pool, allowing private insurers to
offer more options to consumers, including those with pre-existing conditions.
That being said, I still have no idea what the material impact will be on
consumers from NHI. What does it really all mean?
Given my thoughts
onprivate insurers, imagine how I feel about government
bureaucracies. As a consumer I am swimming between the devil and the deep blue
sea trying to discern what the hell my position is on NHI.
I wish all the talking heads
on NHI would stop for a minute to think about the people who this scheme is
supposed to benefit. I wish they would get us involved in the discussion so we
could understand what the hell is going on.Irefuse to take
themat their word. Yes, it is a sad thing thatpublic trust is so
corroded. I need a greater understanding before I believe anything the
Government or the BIA has to say.
It might be presumptuous of me
to believe so, but I am willing to bet if I don’t know what’s going on there
are thousands of other Bahamian consumers who are also clueless. And none of
us, I am sure, trust the talking heads to represent our interests.
All I want for Christmas is to
know how NHI is going to affect and benefit me as a consumer and what kind of
NHI plan I should support. Santa, I’m counting on you!
Sincerely,
Noelle Nicolls
Disclaimer:
The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his/her
private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of
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