THE HAGUE–From now on decisions affecting health care insurance on the Dutch public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will be announced half a year before they go into effect.
That promise came from Dutch Minister of Public Health, Wellbeing and Sports Edith Schippers. She said that in the future she would make decisions regarding the health care insurance package before July 1 of the previous year preceding the year in which they go into effect.
This standard term of half a year, which is common procedure in The Netherlands, will give everyone sufficient time to prepare for the measures, she explained in a letter that she sent to the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Monday.
The Minister has been called to the First Chamber of the Dutch Parliament for a meeting today, Tuesday. The Senate wants to hear from Schippers why she implemented the December 21, 2012 decision to trim down the health care insurance package on the islands without prior consultation.
In her letter, the Minister remained firm on her decision. “I understand that the announced measures, especially where it concerns dental care and physical therapy, have caused the necessary commotion on the islands. Unfortunately I have also found that there is confusion as to when the measures go into effect,” she stated.
According to the Minister that is why she decided to defer the initial start date of January 1, 2013, by half a year. “This means that the measures become effective July 1, 2013. This ensures a careful implementation. Everybody involved in the Caribbean Netherlands, residents and medical professionals, similar to The Netherlands, have half a year to prepare for the changes.”
For clarity’s sake, Schippers repeated an earlier announcement that current treatments and even new appointments at the physical therapist will be covered by the insurance, provided that they are completed before July 1, 2013.
