Government moves to establish National Health Insurance Scheme

Government is moving to establish a National Health Insurance System by the end of 2005, which will be mandatory for all citizens. Health Minister John Rahael yesterday announced that Cabinet had appointed a Steering Committee and a Secretariat to spearhead this initiative. The Committee will be required to review all the reports done on this matter over the last 20 years; submit a comprehensive proposal; determine the best method of financing; develop a policy brief for the legislative changes and develop an implementation plan. Rahael was speaking at a post-Cabinet news conference at Whitehall. The minister said government, as a matter of urgency, was working on equipping the public hospitals so they could offer the quality health care required under the NHIS scheme.

Asked whether the private and public hospitals would be brought under one umbrella, Rahael said, “Yes. There would be one national health system.” He said there were many NHIS options — one system could have the government funding the system or another could have insurance companies funding it. Rahael said the Steering Committee would study in particular, the NHIS systems in Canada and France. The Committee will comprise officials from the Ministries of Health, Office of the Attorney General, Prime Minis-ter’s Office, Planning and Development, all the Regional Health Authorities, the THA, private insurance companies, NATUC, ECA and the Medical Board. Rahael dismissed suggestions that members of his family should keep away from health-related investments because he was Minister of Health.

Rahael said it was his son’s constitutional right to invest in whatever venture he pleased. Saying the CDAP was established 23 months before the pharmacies in which his son was investing, Rahael stated, “What happens if my brother-in-law now decides to invest in a hospital? Or my cousin decides to enter into some business in the health sector. What about my nephews who are doctors? Is it that they shouldn’t practise in Trinidad and Tobago because I am Minister of Health? “What if my son, who is an independent young man and an entrepreneur and of whom I am very proud, wants to make an investment in some other area, that is his constitutional right? What is important is that no one should have any privileged information that would enrich them.”