National Health Plan 2011 Public Consultation Paper

This is no different than John Doe and I both walking into the grocery store, and purchasing the same roll of toilet paper (a necessity), but we are both charged different prices because we are on different salaries. One of us is going to pay more for the exact same benefit we require.

Insurance companies charge different prices to different people already. Ask anyone with a pre-existing condition, or over 65!! The health plan is a great thing. It's about time we made things fair for everyone.

#3: About time - About time

But we aren't talking about premiums being charged based on health risk (pre-existing condition and aging population).  Government wish to implement premiums rates based on salary which as absolutely nothing to do with one's health histiory or age!  There's no correlation between health risk and earnings but there is for medical history and age.

#4: Me - Re: About time

Because they're trying to provide a basic human right - not risk-based insurance!!!! If we only give coverage based on risk then the sick and the old get buggered. Who cares if you're born with a congenital condition? Who cares if you develop cancer at 65? I do care, and I think most Bermudians care.

About Time – I definitely agree that every member of our society is entitled to basic human rights. We are very fortunate to have freedoms because we live in a democratic society. We are provided with education, religious freedoms and we have had basic health care in the past. Our basic health care now, standard benefits, can be improved. BUT, we must also provide proper perspective to changes we seek. For education – every child in our community has access to free public education and we want that education to be the best that it can be. Our government provides (among other programs) our public education based on the collection of a proportional tax. The cost per child at public school is comparable to the cost per child at private school. BUT yet, although we’ve already paid for public school education through our proportional tax, some among us are choosing private schools because they can afford to do so and because it must be important to them – their choice.
Healthcare, the same principle must apply! Through the collection of our current “proportional” tax government have a responsibility to provide basic health care. We are already paying for basic healthcare! Ok, so some among us are able to choose a higher level of insurance based on the ability to pay for a service they choose. This is a democratic society’s right and what make this type of society work. The minimum healthcare package can be improved, through greater efficiency and effective resource management by government and providers like the hospital. Every member of our society can be provided with good quality care without increasing the proportional tax burden to the working and the employers.