HSA to require upfront payment at pharmacy
Cayman Islands Hospital
(CNS): As of 1 January 2016, the Health Services Authority (HSA) will require that all prescriptions through its pharmacy are paid for at the time of service, bringing that department in line with the authority’s revamped payment policy.
The change is part of the authority’s broad strategy to improve collections, Jonathan Tibbetts, chairman of the HSA board, explained, saying that “the policy has already been working well for elective surgeries in the operating theatre and will be phased in across the HSA”.
HSA CEO Lizzette Yearwood noted that the “community is taking some time to adjust to the insurance-based model which was put in place in 2000. In the old model, care was provided to the population by the Government’s then Health Services Department which was funded by General Revenue.
“With the implementation of the Health Insurance Law, everyone is required to have health insurance; however, there still remains a portion of our population that is uninsured or underinsured. This is our self-pay population which continues to drive our bad debt.”
Yearwood added that the policy will improve health services in the Cayman Islands. “A healthy population is the ultimate goal for all of us in the healthcare industry. Population health is dependent on access to healthcare. Provision of healthcare is dependent on adequate levels of funding.
“Improving our collections will allow us to broaden our scope of services and expand our facilities. With this policy, we are calling on all residents to do their part and help us help everyone in our community,” she said.
Yearwood pointed out that the HSA recognises there will be people who require financial assistance and help may be available through the Needs Assessment Unit for those who qualify for aid. The HSA will be letting the public know about the specific criteria for qualifying as well as the application process, she explained.
“Like every other healthcare provider in the world, the HSA is facing significant challenges in regards to the cost of providing healthcare. Full implementation of our payment policy is critical to continued funding of our operations,” Yearwood said.
Category: Medical and Health
