The BVI Health Services Authority has taken another major step in its efforts to increase the cost of services offered at public health facilities across the territory.
Chairman of the Authority John Cline told BVI News the proposed price structure has been submitted to the Ministry of Health which will make a final decision.
While not disclosing the figures proposed, he stated that the new fees are expected to be finalized within the next 30 days.
Cline reiterated that the fee structure submitted is based on research done in various countries including St. Kitts and Nevis, Turks and Caicos and the US Virgin Islands.“We are still working with the ministry to do the fee structure review before they are rolled out. So, the ministry (of health) has the final word on that, but we have submitted a proposal in terms of what we think they should look like based on the regional pricing,” he said.
The Health Authority has been contending that it is struggling to deliver services partly due to what it described as the low fees being charged at Peebles Hospital and other healthcare facilities.
At an East End community meeting in November last year, health personnel revealed that the cost for air ambulance alone from the BVI to Puerto Rico is $7,000, to Jamaica and Panama is $17,000 and to Miami is $20,000.
They also stated that – if the fees are increased – the government will have to fork out more money to cover medical bills for persons who are exempt from paying.
Cline told the November meeting that persons classified as exempt make up 80 percent of the clients who access public healthcare within the territory.He told the meeting: “This {Health Authority} Board has decided that someone will have to pay us. If the government deems you exempt, it is exempt from the standpoint that we will not deny you care, but we will deliver care, but they will have to pay us. So we have started sending the government a monthly bill for the service we deliver to the people they have legislated exempt. That’s 80 percent of our clients.
“They are either under 16 or over 65 – fireman, prisoners, psychiatric people; all of those people are exempt. So when you have the other 20 percent, where only 5 percent of the 20 percent that’s left that’s really gonna pay their bills, then you can see our dilemma.”
