Healthcare fee increases on the horizon at BVIHSA- Carty-Baptiste
Speaking with members of the media earlier today, June 3, 2013, Mrs Darlene Carty-Baptiste said, “Healthcare has a cost, it costs somebody, somewhere, someplace and we have to be able to maintain a balance within our system of making payments to our suppliers and vendors.”
The CEO said a proposal was made and was approved by the Health Authority’s Board before being forwarded to Cabinet for review and consideration.
Mrs Carty-Baptiste said fees have not been changed for almost a century while everything else around us, including the cost of providing services, has changed. The CEO disclosed that the Health Authority is in a place where there are significant arrears for suppliers and vendors.
Although no figure or percentages was offered for the proposed increases coming from the Authority, the CEO said, “we have an idea that we proposed to the Ministry, so it just behoves them to do due diligence.”
As an example, the CEO stated that current costs of accommodation for patients at the hospital ward are set at $25 but this could rise to as much as $300-$400. She stated specifically that the region can bear this cost range but the Authority may not be supporting this premise as this is quite a significant increase.
Mrs Carty-Baptiste stressed that it behoves Cabinet to indicate what may be reasonable based on the figures that were given in a proposal by the Health Authority.
“What we proposed is way beyond what it costs us to do business,” she explained, “so at least this [proposal] gets us to a certain threshold…”
Mrs Carty-Baptiste further expressed that the Authority will be conducting a cost analysis exercise as part of the process in assessing the new fee structure and determining the real cost of providing services. “Right now,” she stated, “we’re just gauging it based on the market.”
According to the CEO, “Our indebtedness has been a burden on the Authority for quite some time and it is actually jeopardising the types of services we may be able to provide in the future.”
Asked how she felt the public may react to news of the proposed increases in conjunction with recent increases in health insurance fees, the CEO responded, “We cannot sustain the level of operations based on our current indebtedness, it is hampering us moving forward. So even if we just do marginal increases over the next [few] years, we’ve got to address it in real time.”
She described Peebles Hospital as the “safety net hospital”, stating “when there is a true emergency, 100 percent of those persons you cannot get off the island unless you come through the system.”
Mrs Carty-Baptiste noted that the proposed increases, whether in increments over a period of years or otherwise, would not prevent anyone receiving services. She stated that there were built in mechanisms where persons could be means-tested or go through various facets of financial counselling.
“Whether you’re uninsured or under-insured,” she said, “you still can obtain services, going through financial counselling gives us an idea of your financial picture and how best we can work with you to address the health cost.”
With regard to the Health Authority’s organisational agility, Mrs Carty-Baptiste said the organisation is rethinking its strategy and noted that it was not business as usual.
“Healthcare has changed dramatically…,” she said, “but at the end of the day, the most important thing is providing optimum healthcare for the people of the BVI and of course the residents just as visitors alike.”
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32 Responses to “Healthcare fee increases on the horizon at BVIHSA- Carty-Baptiste”
They need to find out why all those babies died down Peebles.
How salaries in BVI can raise when you all shop in St Thomas, PR and USA. Stop being a j@ck@$$. You all kickup for your rights to shop in St Thomas especially then go over there and look a job instead of being so stupid. How can you spend all your money overseas but want a raise locally. That makes any sense?
Umm my salary has not changed FYI !!!
"As an example, the CEO stated that current costs of accommodation for patients at the hospital ward are set at $25 but this could rise to as much as $300-$400"
Umm my salary has not changed FYI !!!
“Whether you’re uninsured or under-insured,” she said, “you still can obtain services, going through financial counselling gives us an idea of your financial picture and how best we can work with you to address the health cost.”
Umm my salary has not changed FYI !!!
so just chill ya behind.
Gosh big man Big Bird you going to kill people here in the BVI? I find you could start by cutting all those executive salary increases. I don't see why someone writing news release should be paid over $ 70,000 or why a sec.... should be making $40,000 just because they go to Church down Duffs Bottom
Haha, school children say BB got both Ronnie and Cline under a "spell". That's why they paying her nearly two hundred thou to muck up the health system and she fixing to bring her hu....too. When she gone back home laughing all the way to the bank who will pick up the pieces?
THE MORAL OF THE BVIHSA STAFF IS ON THE GROUND DRAGGING. C@....Y U AND GHETTO S... HAVE INTRODUCE AN AMERICAN CUT THROAT CULTURE THAT HAS CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT OF MISTRUST. IN THE STATES THIS DIVIDE AND CONQUER THING IS CALLED " JIM CROW LAW" THEY CONSTANTLY TAKE PLESURE IN TELL STAFF TAKE A LOOK ON YOUR LEFT THEN YOUR RIGHT BECAUSE THAT PERSON MIGHT NOT BE HERE WITH US ANY LONGER. A SOCIAL CLUB HAS BEEN CREATED. IF YOU NOT IN THE CLUB THERE IS NO RAISE OR PROMOTION ONLY VICTIMIZATION IS YOUR REWARD. THESE ARE ALL SELF PROCLAIMED CHRISTIANS. THIS IS THE WORST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN ITS AS THEY ARE UNTOUCHABLES THEY DO AS THEY PLEASE. I KNOW YOU ARE WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MINISTER. HE IS SEEN AS A BIG LET DOWN AND WEAK. FOR HAVING HIS PEOPLE HE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT SUFFER UNDER THESE PERSONS." WHAT IS THIS BAPTISM BY TORTURE.
THE"ACTION MAN"MINISTER VANTERPOOL SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE HEALTH MINISTER. WE ARE SURE WE WOULD HAVE SEEN SOME POSITIVE ACTION BY NOW. COME AGAIN DR. SMITH, DR.PICKERING AND MR. SKELTON WE THE VOTERS WHO WORKING FOR BVIHSA WAITING FOR AHYO BACK**** HOW MUCH LONGER MUST WE WAIT TO BE FREE OF" THE CURSE"