Bahamas to have universal healthcare from 2016

The government of The Bahamas is committed to ensuring that all Bahamians have access to affordable, efficient and quality healthcare. It has launched the implementation strategy to ensure that all Bahamians have access to a universal health Insurance system

The mission of The Bahamas Government is to provide quality healthcare that is affordable and accessible to all its citizens. A sustainable plan for the future is in development. The government is looking at various funding and costing options for the plan.

From January 2016, with universal health insurance, every legal Bahamian resident, regardless of their means, will have access to health care from private and public doctors, clinics and hospitals.

Currently, per capita healthcare spending in The Bahamas is over $2300 per year; almost double other countries in the region. Despite this high spending, life expectancy is lower than many places such as Barbados, Belize and Grenada.

Universal health insurance will focus on improving health outcomes while also producing annual savings that will reach $160 million in ten years. The majority of the financing will come from existing resources in the health system. Further costing and financial details will be available in the near future.