We, the signatories to this Petition, call upon The Governor, His Excellency Mr. Gordon Wetherell to suspend implementation of the National Health Insurance Plan (the Plan) until the following concerns have been fully addressed.
1. The National Health Insurance Board's (the Board) and/or the Turks & Caicos Government's (TCIG) failure to provide the public with details of coverage, including:
a) a list of the hospital services which will be offered and covered under the Plan;
b) a list of the inpatient drugs which will be covered under the Plan;
c) a list of the chronic conditions for which outpatient drugs will be covered under the Plan;
d) a list of local doctors who have enrolled in the program;
e) what conditions will qualify for coverage under the emergency overseas treatment program;
2. The Board's and/or TCIG's failure to provide the public with details of the medical services Interhealth Canada is required to provide and the cost of those services.
3. The Board's and/or TCIG's failure to provide the public with details of medical services which will be provided by other parties, the identity of those other parties and the cost of those services.
4. The fact that some families will be put at a disadvantage because both parties are employed and there is no cap on contributions e.g. a working family with a combined income of $10,000 will be required to pay contributions on $10,000 per month whereas a family with only one person working and earning $10,000 would only be required to pay contributions on $7,800 per month.
5. TCIG's failure to address the public's concern that given the current debt, deficit, the anticipated increase in other taxes to cover those costs and the additional expenditure required under the Plan the TCIG and the public simply cannot afford the Plan in the current weak economy. If the penalty will have worse consequences than proceeding with the Plan disclose those consequences to the public so we can be confident of the decision to proceed with the Plan.
