Patients 1st is a weekly column where the Bermuda Medical Doctors Association answers your questions about the proposed Bermuda Health Plan 2020 and how it may impact you and your family

The phrase “new year, new you” usually provokes one of two responses: an eye-roll or, anxiety mixed with a “How do I do that?”

The proposed 2020 health scheme seems to evoke a similar reaction.

This week’s question revolves around some simple steps you can take as an employee when it comes to “owning” your healthcare. First, make an appointment with your employer. Plan for a ten minute discussion on making sure you as an employee and they, as your employer, understand what the unified system could mean to you.

Questions to ask:

1, Does my employer and HR manager understand the 2020 scheme?

2, Was my employer consulted on the Government’s single payer/unified payment system?

3, Did my employer agree with the unified payment system?

4, Will my employer absorb the extra cost of supplemental insurance to match my current benefits?

5, Will my take-home pay be the same under the new scheme?

6, Will my employer pay my prescriptions for me upfront if I exceed the plan, and then deduct from my paycheque?

7, Who pays if I have to go overseas for treatment?

8, Do I have to sign a new statement of employment to reflect any changes?

It is a lot to think about. But 2020 is here already, the clock is ticking.

The public consultation deadline may have passed but that doesn’t mean you cannot still petition against it. Patients1st is against rushed health reform and against a single payer/unified payment system. Your health is not a simple “new year, new me”; it’s a lifelong commitment.

Your voice: The Patients1st petition can be found at change.org or through links on Facebook.

• The Bermuda Medical Doctors Association is a local body of physicians that represent the concerns of community physicians working directly for the welfare of the doctor/patient relationship. Over the past five years the BMDA has grown to more than 75 physicians, which represents the majority of community doctors on the island