Over eighty million dollars has been paid out to five local healthcare partners through the National Health Insurance (NHI) from January 2019 to January 2024. Photo: Internet Source

Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) has said the government is seriously looking at ways to bring down the spending to healthcare to private health providers made through the National Health Insurance. Photo: YouTube

Opposition Member Stacy M. Mather (AL) has raised concern over the amount spend on payments to the local healthcare partners through the National Health Insurance. Photo: YouTube

Minister for Health and Social Development Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) was replying to a question from Opposition Member Hon Stacy M. Mather (AL) during the Twentieth Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly on October 18, 2024.

“Madam Speaker, given the ongoing concerns about the quality and cost of healthcare across the Territory, could the Minister for Health and Social Development, please tell this Honourable House the names and cumulative amounts paid to the top five local healthcare partners through the National Health Insurance (NHI) from January 2019 to January 2024?” Hon Mather asked.

Over $80M paid out

In reply to Hon Mather, Hon Wheatley disclosed that for the period the amounts paid out were, “Provider number one, thirty million, six hundred forty-six thousand, three hundred and fifty-four dollars and seventy-nine cents; number 2, twenty-one million, two hundred and ninety-seven thousand, four hundred and sixty-eight dollars and seventy-four cents; number three, eighteen million, four hundred and eighty thousand, nine hundred and forty-four dollars and eleven cents; number four, eleven million, one hundred and four thousand, three hundred and fifty-eight dollars and thirty-one cents and number five, ten million, eight hundred and fifty thousand, one hundred and seventy dollars and fifty-one cents.”

This brings the total payout to just the top five local healthcare partners to eighty-one million, sixty-four thousand, five hundred and eighty-three dollars and fifty cents.

Eureka & Bougainvillea clinics rake in over $50M from NHI in 5 years

While Hon Wheatley did not disclose the names of the top five companies during the HoA sitting, sources have confirmed to Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) that Eureka Medical Clinic and Bougainvillea Clinic were the clinics that received payments of thirty million, six hundred forty-six thousand, three hundred and fifty-four dollars and seventy-nine cents and twenty-one million, two hundred and ninety-seven thousand, four hundred and sixty-eight dollars and seventy-four cents respectively over the five-year period. 

The other companies rounding off the top five were B & F Medical Clinic, Penn Medical Clinic and Premier Dental.

Meanwhile, Hon Wheatley said the government is looking closely at finding ways to curb this type of spending.

“There are several strategies we are employing to attack just that problem...looking at the way we do accounting, we do billing and the way the legislation works between the HSA through the contrast committee and the private sector, so things are afoot to address that very real concern because we know healthcare is very, very expensive.”

The Health Minister added that if the healthcare is handled poorly and price control gets out of hand it can create a “serious problems”.