Government has renewed its health insurance assistance to displaced Caymanian tourism workers for another three months.
All applications must be submitted by Wednesday, 29 Dec., a statement from the Health Ministry stated, to ensure 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 statement added.
The programme, first started in 2020 by the then Alden McLaughlin-run administration, is specifically aimed at providing health insurance coverage to those in the tourism and hospitality industries.
Since taking office, the PACT government, which has continued the relief initiative, through the Ministry of Health and Wellness, in conjunction with Health Insurance Commission, has assisted approximately 7,981 people who needed help paying their health insurance premiums, at a cost of approximately $860,949 over the period May to December 2021.
Minister for Health and Wellness Sabrina Turner, in the statement, said, the programme will be extended 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. 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),” she said.
The HIC, Turner said, 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,” she added.
Requirements for the programme
To qualify for the programme, the applicant must be a Caymanian, currently residing in the Cayman Islands and presently unemployed or no longer working full-time in the tourism or hospitality industries.
The applicant must be 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, the statement said, will then plan for the direct payment of the health insurance premium to the health insurance provider.
The Department of Health Regulatory Services will be carrying out the assessment of the applications.
Individuals may contact the Health Insurance Commission via email to [email protected] 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.
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