NIS director Stewart Haynes expressed a supportive yet cautious stance toward national health insurance (NHI), emphasizing that the country should embrace the conversation because improving healthcare access, quality, and affordability is a necessary societal goal.
While he acknowledged that previous administrations viewed NHI as unaffordable based on older studies from the University of the West Indies, he noted that cost is a function of the specific benefit package offered, such as whether it covers primary, secondary, or tertiary care.
Haynes insisted there must be a strict “firewall” or “Chinese wall” between NIS and NHI funds. This separation is vital to ensure that the financing of the national health scheme does not compromise or “destroy” the existing NIS funds.
He argued that there is “no one size fits all” for NHI and suggested that it could be implemented on a phased basis. This might involve first addressing governance and administrative efficiency before tackling complex financing structures.
The director highlighted that financing could come from various sources, including direct taxation, indirect taxation or government contributions. He noted that in small economies with high levels of informal and self-employed workers, a combination of these measures is often necessary rather than relying solely on salary deductions.
Haynes said during a briefing with Prime Minister Godwin Friday, he provided demographic and economic data to help shape the policy, emphasizing that while policymakers set the direction, technocrats must determine the feasibility and design the vehicle to achieve those objectives.
He mentioned that St. Vincent should look to its neighbors, noting that countries like Grenada and St. Kitts have also been investigating or thinking through their own NHI programs.
Haynes recommended the formation of a steering committee or “think tank” to update past studies—some of which date back to 1997 or 2007—to reflect current economic and demographic realities.
The NDP had as one of its elections promise the introduction of a National Health Insurance.