Minister Wheatley made the assertion when he appeared on JTV’s the Big Story recently.

“NHI has a fundamental problem that we are now trying to address. They’ve hired a consultant to overhaul NHI and bring some solutions and proposals forward,” Wheatley stated.

The Minister said a report from the consultant was expected to emerge sometime this month.

“So, we are addressing, not just the quick fix for COVID, but that fundamental issue that NHI has been experiencing ever since it came into being in 2015.”

The Labour Minister said the NHI scheme, as it stands, could not be considered a very viable institution.

He expressed that illnesses have increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, requiring more of the NHI scheme, even as the monies collected by NHI have been reduced due to unemployment and underemployment.

Comprehensive review for NHI

Meanwhile, Director of the Social Security Board (SSB), Jeanette Scatliffe-Boynes said the NHI is expected to undergo a comprehensive review this year.

This is according to a 2022 report of the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) budget deliberations held late last year.

In addition to this, Scatliffe-Boynes said there will be an actuarial review and financial reporting done this year. She noted too that the agency will be able to facilitate certificates of good standings.

During the SFC hearings, the Director said that a request for expression of interest was issued to conduct a comprehensive review of the NHI system. There were also recommendations for the relevant regulations to be amended to maintain the scheme’s solvency while, at the same time, maintaining and improving the level of benefits currently offered.

The Director informed officials that the SSB contracted Redbridge Solutions on December 1, 2021, to conduct an operational review of the NHI plan and technical assistance for the establishment. That contract was valued at $423,000.