Government is set to publish new fees for paying for medical procedures in a bid to end the lengthy row between insurers and doctors.

The two groups have been negotiating about updating fees paid for operations months after doctors were angered by a new schedule put in place on June 1.

Some doctors have been billing patients to make up for what they say is a shortfall in payment while others have been holding back on billing insurers for reimbursement.

Permanent Secretary for Health Dr. Derrick Binns said on Friday that a new schedule would be published in "a matter of days to weeks".

But he was reluctant to give details of what was in the package and he said he was not sure if the doctors were happy with the deal.

A joint statement released by Bermuda Medical Society President Dr. Jonathan Murray and Bermuda Medical Association President Dr. Steven Trott said: "Our primary concern is the provision of the best health care to Bermuda residents."

Doctors want the the Minister to ratify the full coding that covers around 11,000 procedures.

The statement continued: "This will enable the doctors to perform modern medical procedures using new technology with the comfort of knowing that these procedures are covered under patients' medical insurance today and in the years to come.

"The insurance companies' new benefits policy of approximately 1,500 procedures is very limiting and not reflective of the procedures that we feel should be performed in Bermuda today.

"And we look forward to a quick resolution so that the public's concerns over what is and what isn't covered under their insurance policies can be alleviated."

Health Insurance Association of Bermuda president Gerald Simons said he didn't know what the Government plan was.

But he said the issue wasn't about the number of codes but about money: "Whatever operation is performed can be considered for payment. At the end of the day it's about money.

"The doctors wanted more than insurers felt the public should be asked to pay."