The National Health Insurance plan has still not rolled out nationwide, and health planners now have to figure out how to find the money to pay for that rollout without taking it from your salary. Social Security can't pay for it and today Minister of Health Hon. Vildo Marin said government is actively looking at new financing alternatives.
Hon. Vildo Marin, Minister of Health
"We certainly want to implement it but we will not be like the ostrich. We know that we need money to fund this project and that's why we want to start a national dialogue with the Belizean people to see how best we can fund the National Health Insurance. And in this aspect we would like to hear from you the Belizean people. Call us at the Ministry of Health wherever you are to give us your ideas as to how best we can fund the National Health insurance."
"The national conversation has to begin and how best to fund that is very important."
Alfonso Noble,
...Because you are running out of money?
Hon. Vildo Marin, Minister of Health
"Well as I said before we have to make sure that we fund the NHI and we have to find ways and means that we raise the money and it will not hurt the poor people. That's very important. Now let's not fool ourselves, health is very expensive and certainly the money has to come from somewhere."
The National Health Insurance first began as a pilot project back in August of 2001. A northside rollout was promised in April of this year, and then that changed to a southern district rollout, but neither has materialized and are both options are now believed to have vaporized as victims of austerity.