Searchlight Logo
special_image

    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
    • News
      • Front Page
      • News
      • Breaking News
      • Press Release
      • Features
      • Special Features
      • From the Courts
      • Sports
      • Regional / World
    • Opinions
      • Editorial
      • Our Readers’ Opinions
      • Bassy – Love Vine
      • Dr. Fraser- Point of View
      • R. Rose – Eye of the Needle
      • On Target
      • Dr Jozelle Miller
      • The World Around Us
      • Random Thoughts
    • Advice
      • Kitchen Corner
      • What’s on Fleek this week
      • Health Wise
      • Physician’s Weekly
      • Business Buzz
      • Hey Rosie!
      • Prime the pump
    • ePaper
    • Obituaries
      • In Memoriam / Acknowledgement
      • Tribute
    • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Letters To The Editor
      • General Contact Information
      • Contact our Webmaster
    • About Us
      • Interactive Media Ltd
      • St. Vincent & the Grenadines
    • Subscribe
Health Wise
November 17, 2015

Potential risks of national health insurance

Last week, the potential benefits of National Health Insurance (NHI) were highlighted. It was discussed that NHI has the potential to improve access to health services, as well as to provide financial risk protection.

Like most things, NHI has its advantages and its disadvantages. This article will highlight some of the potential risks of such a system.{{more}}

Health insurance generally will make health services available to most people and also increase and improve the services offered. However, the health system could emphasize expensive curative care over primary and preventative services. If a NHI scheme does not view primary and preventative services as a way to minimize health insurance cost over the long term, then this can put a significant burden on the scheme and can then lead to financial difficulties. A sustainable and well managed NHI system must work hand in hand with the health sector to put great emphasis on primary and preventative services, as these are way cheaper and more cost effective. The old saying that prevention is better than cure is indeed applicable here.

Another significant risk of such a system is that low payment levels may not attract quality providers. Insurance agencies could lack capacity to ensure quality of private providers and if there is a lack of cost controls this can bankrupt the insurance fund. Failure to pay private providers on time can result in private providers not honouring the insurance and could lead to frustration among patients and private providers.

In a country where unemployment may be high or where NHI payment be considered as an added tax to people, the government must therefore be able to pay for those who cannot pay, so that those who are paying do not feel as if they are paying for others who may use the system more than them and at times may abuse the system. If this does not happen, then people may be reluctant to pay and so a compulsory system must be instituted. However, with such a system, people may abuse it because they will not want to think that they are paying for a service that they are not utilizing.

Although NHI can provide substantial funding for the health sector, government must still contribute to the health sector. Resources flowing through insurance schemes could make governments feel free to reallocate general budget resources away from health, leaving the health sector with unchanged or fewer resources. Therefore, it is important that NHI funds be looked at as additional funding for the health sector and not alternative funding to government budgetary allocation. Insurance funds without adequate oversight and accountability can also become easy targets for corruption.

Benefits of a NHI system could favour the already better-off because they are easier to reach with insurance. That is, they may be more willing to pay and may pay higher premiums. Benefits to the poor could become false promises if insurance is not purposefully designed to target the poor. The system may exist, but the poor may not be able to utilize it, as copayments can potentially be a barrier for the poor.

Countries may launch a broad, but expensive, benefit package that is financially unsustainable, and later be forced to limit coverage and thus dash expectations. It is therefore important that, as we consider such a system, the potential benefits be weighed against the potential risks and the necessary feasibility studies be conducted and a gradual phase in approach be taken, so that the benefit package can widen with time.

Dr Rosmond Adams is a medical doctor and a public health specialist. He may be emailed at adamsrosmond@gmail.com

  • FacebookComments
  • ALSO IN THE NEWS
    Villa woman in  hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Front Page
    Villa woman in hospital after being stabbed over 20 times
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Police are said to be carrying out investigations into the stabbing of Rafia Sardine, a 20-year-old female of Villa. Reports are that Sardine, a FLOW ...
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Front Page
    RSVGPF most hacked of gov’t agencies
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    In St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), an analysis has found that the most hacked government entity was the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Polic...
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Front Page
    Event staged locally to mark Africa/ Caricom Day
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Leaders of Governments and institutions from countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and the continent of Africa, gathered at the weekend for ...
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Front Page
    PM, proud of his constituents
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, is proud of the persons in his constituency who continue to aim for higher education. Dr Gonsalves is the parliame...
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Front Page
    Van conductor to be sentenced for beating pregnant ex-girlfriend
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A van conductor, who beat his five- months pregnant ex-girlfriend after she refused to get back with him, has been remanded pending sentencing. Onez J...
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    News
    King selected again for the ULP in West St George
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    To the haunting timeless reggae melody of Jimmy Cliff’s classic ‘Journey’, Curtis King, who was selected as the candidate for the Unity Labour Party (...
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    From the Courts, News
    Steel wielding Lowman’s Hill man to be sentenced tomorrow
    Webmaster 
    September 9, 2025
    A Lowman’s Hill man who struck another villager in his head with a piece of steel will know his fate tomorrow, September 10, 2025. Kevin Roberts, 25, ...
    Minister of Information Technology  emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    News
    Minister of Information Technology emphasises the importance of Cybersecurity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    Robust cybersecurity must be at the heart of the digital transformation that is currently taking place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) says Min...
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    News
    Entities team up to boost disaster communication capacity
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Climate Change Resilience Network (CCRN) in collaboration with the Youlou Radio Movement (YRM) recently embarked on a disaster preparedness initia...
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    News
    Ministry of Health to get more dialysis machines
    Webmaster 
    September 5, 2025
    The Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, is to obtain three more Heamodialysis machines as part of the revolution in the healthcare secto...

    E-EDITION
    ePaper
    google_play
    app_store
    Subscribe Now
    • Interactive Media Ltd. • P.O. Box 152 • Kingstown • St. Vincent and the Grenadines • Phone: 784-456-1558 © Copyright Interactive Media Ltd.. All rights reserved.
    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok