News

The PACT Government has approved another round of health insurance premium payments assistance to displaced Caymanian workers; specifically those in the tourism and hospitality industries for the period January to March 2022.

“As everyone is painfully aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented persons and businesses with very challenging and unexpected difficulties”, said Hon. Sabrina Turner, Minister for Health & Wellness. “I am happy we are able to offer this assistance once again to those suffering from job loss in partnership with the Health Insurance Commission (HIC)”.

During the period May to December 2021, the Ministry of Health & Wellness in conjunction with HIC assisted approximately 7,981 persons who needed help paying their health insurance premiums at a cost of approximately $860,949.

“The HIC has consulted with the eight Approved Insurers to obtain their agreement and willingness to continue offering the programme. Once applications have been vetted and confirmed, the Approved Insurers will submit their invoices to the Ministry of Health & Wellness via the HIC for coverage to be affected for the successful applicants.

“The Ministry of Health will have 45 calendar days after receipt of the monthly invoices to settle amounts due with each Approved Insurer,” Mr. Mervyn Conolly, Director, Department of Health Regulatory Services and Superintendent of Health Insurance, explains.

Mr Conolly stated, “I am very pleased that we are able to once again extend this invitation to persons who need assistance with their health insurance coverage.”

Persons applying for the PPAP must be:

• Caymanian currently residing in the Cayman Islands, presently unemployed or no longer working fulltime in the tourism and hospitality industries
• Able to provide information on their current or most recent health insurance plan, including the premium rate that was paid for the plan.

Premium payment assistance will be considered to provide coverage to the level of the Standard Health Insurance Contract. Once the applications are verified and approved, the Ministry of Health will then plan for the direct payment of the health insurance premium to the health insurance provider.

Persons may contact the Health Insurance Commission via email to hic@gov.ky or by phone on 946-2084 for additional details. Applications and additional information may be downloaded from the Commission’s website at dhrs.gov.ky. Hard copies of the application are also available at the Health Insurance Commission counter on the ground floor of the Government Administration Building.

The deadline for receipt of applications is Wednesday, 29 December 2021 to effect coverage commencing 1 January 2022. All recipients of the assistance must renew their applications on a monthly basis throughout the programme, which ends 30 March 2022.

“The Ministry of Health & Wellness thanks the Department of Health Regulatory Services for carrying out the assessment of the applications and the Government for making this assistance available to those in need”, said Ministry of Health & Wellness Chief Officer Nellie Pouchie.