page_title: National Health Insurance (British Virgin Islands)
hierarchical_section_title: National Health Insurance (British Virgin Islands)
caption_attribution_description: Photograph of Peebles Hospital, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands. The new hospital is the larger building behind. The old hospital building is just visible in front of it.
context_page_description: The National Health Insurance scheme is a form of national health insurance established by the Government of the British Virgin Islands through the Ministry of Health, with a goal to provide access to and financial coverage for health care services to British Virgin Islands residents. A National Health Insurance scheme was first considered in 2006, but it took over a decade to come to fruition. It eventually came into effect on 1 January 2016.
  The scheme is based on two fundamental principles:
  payments are shared based on ability to pay, without worrying about health risks such as age, occupation or pre-existing health conditions; and
  healthcare benefits are equally available to everyone.
  The scheme is administered by the Social Security Board of the British Virgin Islands. The Deputy Director with responsibility for the scheme is Mr Roy Barry. The primary legislation relating to the scheme was implemented by amendments to the Social Security Act, and the subsidiary implementing legislation is the Social Security Regulations, 2015.
  From a relatively early stage of the scheme's life, doubts were expressed about its long term sustainability.
context_section_description: The National Health Insurance scheme (or NHI) is a form of national health insurance established by the Government of the British Virgin Islands through the Ministry of Health, with a goal to provide access to and financial coverage for health care services to British Virgin Islands residents.  A National Health Insurance scheme was first considered in 2006, but it took over a decade to come to fruition.  It eventually came into effect on 1 January 2016.
  The scheme is based on two fundamental principles:
  payments are shared based on ability to pay, without worrying  about health risks such as age, occupation or pre-existing health conditions; and
  healthcare benefits are equally available to everyone.
  The scheme is administered by the Social Security Board of the British Virgin Islands.  The Deputy Director with responsibility for the scheme is Mr Roy Barry.  The primary legislation relating to the scheme was implemented by amendments to the Social Security Act (Cap 266), and the subsidiary implementing legislation is the Social Security (National Health Insurance) Regulations, 2015.
  From a relatively early stage of the scheme's life, doubts were expressed about its long term sustainability.  In the year 2017 it ran at a deficit of nearly US$650,000, with greater losses predicted in 2018.  In 2019 the Premier announced that the scheme was to be restructured because "the current scheme is unsustainable and is in threat of failure", but did not provide any details beyond stating that the review would be "comprehensive".
  He expounded upon this in 2020, noting the government has to subsidise the scheme to the tune of US$42 million a year, and if it was not reformed it could "bankrupt the British Virgin Islands".
caption: Peebles Hospital in Road Town, British Virgin Islands.
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