Philipsburg:--- Island Councilwoman Maria Buncamper Molanus during a press conference on Monday is calling on government to evaluate the health care system. The issue that many of senior citizens do not have health insurance is once again in the lime light, this time however with some international pressure says Councilwoman Maria Buncamper-Molanus. “The idea of ensuring that all people have health insurance is certainly one that is undoubtedly supported by all. And so it all eagerly awaiting the detailed explanation from Minister Leeflang on this proposal. Mind you the proposal for insuring all persons over 60 who have been previously covered by SVB is not a new proposal; in fact it has been on the table for more than 10 years”, says the former member of Parliament (2003-2006).
Arguments thus far being expressed by the Central Government are that this proposal will secure health insurance for approximately 5700 persons and save the Government 2 to 3 million guilders.
Buncamper-Molanus states that a relevant question could be whether this number includes the people living on St. Maarten Saba. St. Eustatius and which Government will be saving? Some insurance experts say that the average medical expenses per senior citizen are Fls 9000 per year.
The Central Government is proposing a premium of 10.5%. The question that one would have to ask is from what; is the basis the already very small AOV pension being collected. How much can be expected to be raised in premiums? Have the necessary calculations been made to safeguard continuity and avoid a repeat of the FZOG fund which is completely depleted putting our senior citizens who have this insurance, so often in an insecure position because of the inability of the FZOG fund to cover the medical expenses. And then we have not even touched on the predicament that the caregivers and service providers are put in because of payments not being forthcoming.
Councilwoman Maria Buncamper-Molanus told the media on Monday last that a common complaint in the Windward Islands is that the SVB insurance is prohibitive; accessing healthcare by means of the insurance is in some cases particularly for the Windward Islands just not affordable. More so for Saba and Statia than St. Maarten, when requiring medical care not available on Island the daily allowances provided to the patients are simply insufficient to pay transportation to get the medical attention required. Patients leaving from St. Maarten to Curacao experience the same. So while the insurance may be in place accessing it remains a problem, the result then is the same as not having insurance at all. This means that the Central Government must address both access to insurance and the access to medical care at the same time.
Buncamper-Molanus, the former Commissioner of Public Health on St. Maarten, pointed out the fact that there are initiatives being taken by the islands themselves, St. Maarten for example with the ongoing development of a national health insurance which, at least when DP was still in Government was being developed to secure health insurance for everyone.
“How does our local government view this proposal as it relates to all the preparations being made on St. Maarten, by St. Maarten with respect to health insurance for all our people. How does the cost of the National Health insurance for St. Maarten, compare to the cost and the accessibility to healthcare of the Central Government’s SVB proposal” the former commissioner questions.
The bottom line is, with one foot in and one foot out of the Netherlands Antilles, the Central Government is surely embarking on an important proposal, health insurance for our seniors, who were previously ensure d with SVB and now have no medical insurance. The problem is that while our seniors might be paying for it they will not necessarily be accessing it says Councilwoman Maria Buncamper-Molanus.
Our representatives in Parliament as well as the Island Government of St. Maarten should look closely at all the developments. Evaluate the progress we have been making in this area and consider whether, we should go along with this Central Government’s proposal, simply because they are coalition partners, or because the idea sounds good, compared to determining the amount of persons who do fall in this category of non-insured and implement a temporary coverage for those who currently have no health insurance by issuing them a Government Doctors card, which will at least guarantee the senior citizens currently not insured, health care coverage, but most importantly accessibility to healthcare. The changes have already been drafted to the regulations while DP was in government, thus the current Island Government is advised to follow up, pick up where the Democratic Party left off, and complete the process.
“Insurance for our seniors, SVB 60 plus is extremely necessary, our representatives must also insure that these same people actually get the care they are paying for and that is the bottom line. Moreover, that all others, now not insured will also be considered. A draft proposal is at legal Affairs. We encourage our Island Government to follow-up on this proposal left behind by the DP government and concentrate on helping all our people to acquire access to healthcare,” concludes Councilwoman Maria Buncamper-Molanus.