Plans to change the island’s healthcare system will feature in today’s Throne Speech, it was revealed last night.

An excerpt from the speech, to be delivered by Rena Lalgie, the Governor on behalf of the Government, said the Covid-19 pandemic had highlighted the inequality in healthcare and health insurance coverage.

The speech added: “The Government’s recent expansions to the prescription drug benefit for persons on HIP and FutureCare, as well as the support to uninsured, pregnant women, has come at a cost and without the opportunity to address the systemic reform so desperately needed and promised in this Government’s election platform.

“Achieving affordable universal healthcare is a complex, multiyear commitment and is a fundamental part of Bermuda’s economic recovery plan, because it will reduce costs to business, which in turn increases economic growth.

“To further the goal of universal healthcare, the Ministry of Health will accelerate the ongoing stakeholder engagement in the transition to an integrated healthcare model to increase the speed at which affordable essential healthcare is delivered.”

The Government last year pledged to introduce a Bermuda health plan that would “maximise efficiencies via an integrated healthcare model”, but no such plan was released.

But the Government did move ahead with legislation to reform drug prices.