Concerns expressed in today’s newspaper by Soualiga Employers Association (SEA) about implementation of the Sustainable Affordable Access to Healthcare Act (SAAHA) or formerly proposed National Health Insurance (NHI) are justified. As pointed out, it seems the current Social and Health Insurances SZV that is to manage such faces financial issues.
This, despite a big hike last year in the maximum salary for mandatory coverage of private sector personnel and their families, to include practically all employees and get more contributors. Adding recipients perhaps unable to pay premiums would only put more pressure on the fund.
Probably so would expanding the medical services to improve care. Ultimately these additional bills need to be paid.
SEA’s analysis that with more than half the working population earning between the minimum wage and 3,000 Netherlands Antillean guilders monthly any premium raise would be felt is on the mark. The relatively high cost of living and particularly housing plays a role as well.
Prime Minister Luc Mercelina has publicly stated that the estimated number of registered active employees carrying the social burden of so many not in the system makes little sense to him because the numbers do not add up. Regulating more so-called undocumented workers to broaden the premium-base is one option.
In terms of the tourism economy, some businesses are still recovering from the COVID-19 crisis and in certain cases even from Hurricane Irma in September 2017. The number of stay-over arrivals is only now reaching 2016 levels.
On the other hand, urgent care cannot be refused, so currently uninsured patients end up costing providers like St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) money. Those sceptical of universal health insurance should keep that in mind.
Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams has on several occasions suggested amending the present SZV regulations for now to add vendors, sole proprietors, bus- and taxi-drivers as well as others in the informal sector able to pay premiums, but left without affordable health insurance. That might be a good start.
