ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – “What is Government doing with NHI money?” This a question a resident of the Virgin Islands (UK) said needs to be answered by the management of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme or the responsible Minister, Honourable Ronnie W. Skelton (AL).
“These are real questions these people (government) need to be answering to the media, these are the questions. Fraser (Opposition Leader Hon Julian Fraser, RA) and Fahie (VIP chairman Hon Andrew A. Fahie) should stop the nonsensical fight for power and ask, these are questions we the people need to have answered,” said a concerned resident who declined to be identified.
“Bishop [John I.] Cline rich, I am not, so I can’t let you use my name cause I working for government, so let them talk if they want, I hiding behind you VINO.”
The public servant, who works in the health care system, said she feels the money collected by NHI since its introduction in January 2016, is likely to be more than five times the figures circulating as paid to private health care facilities and other expenses.
“My suspicion is that they are using NHI money to take care of other bills and things. No way the country broke and they got that sitting there just like they using Social Security monies to do all sorts of things, just so they using NHI money and pressuring and threatening employers who behind their payments.”
“Just as how government got it hard just so some employers catching hell and what NHI doing threatening people and punishing employees is unlawful. You media got to stop being afraid to ask the hard questions. We the people can’t get to ask so you have to be our voice, do it responsibly.
Millions paid out
The mandatory NHI started in January 2016 despite much opposition.
While it is unclear how much money has been raked in so far, information unearthed by this news site back in November 2016 revealed that the National Health Insurance (NHI) paid out large sums of money to healthcare providers in the Virgin Islands (VI).
The highest paid out, according to our information, was to Eureka Medical Clinic who raked in $3,338,055.46 for its services.
Others who made over a million dollars within eight months from the NHI scheme were B&F Medical Complex, Bougainvillea Clinic and Medicure Laboratory.
It is important to note that Eureka and Bougainvillea Clinics, as well as Medicure Laboratory, are owned by the same person/s and, according to the information made available to this news site, made over $6 million for their services. (BVI Online)
