Opposition Seniors' spokeswoman Louise Jackson has called on the Government to consider picking up the monthly tab for pensioners on Hospital Insurance Plan.

She said it would cost more than $11.5 million a year to cover the Island's 6,000 seniors, many of whom who were finding it hard to pay the $161 bill each month.

She said: “I can find you $11 million of nonsense the Government has blown - including foreign trips and bigger cars and all the rest of it.

“If Government was truly interested in a social agenda for the people of Bermuda they would have looked at this a long time ago.”

Mrs. Jackson called for a national debate on the issue after saying many seniors could not afford the premiums which have gone up from $144.90 to $161.14 a month.

Willard Fox, president of the Bermuda Physically Handicapped Association, said recently he was giving up HIP because it was unaffordable.

Mrs. Jackson said he was by no means alone.

“A rise of $16 a month doesn't sound like a lot but when you are living on $300-plus a month and you have to pay $161 for HIP what does that leave you?”

She said pension rises were wiped out by larger rises in HIP.

Another possibility would be to offer free health insurance for pensioners living below the poverty line. She estimates about 3,000 are in this category.

“Many of them are suffering in quiet poverty. They might own their own home but they are living on a very small pension.”

Other countries did more for seniors health said Mrs. Jackson with many offering free coverage. Even if it meant slightly heavier taxes it would be worth doing said Mrs. Jackson.

“It needs to be addressed seriously. People are living longer, we have to find an answer for this health insurance problem.”

She welcomed the news that Government is setting up an automated processing system to speed up Hospital Insurance Plan claims.

She had claimed doctors were waiting up to 11 months for claims to be reimbursed and seniors had to wait up to two years.

Hard-up seniors were now be asked to pay by upfront because doctors were sick of the wait, said Mrs Jackson.

But Government have said it plans to cut red tape.

A Press release said: “The Department of Social Insurance continues to strive towards improving the system of processing HIP claims so medical claims and reimbursement for office visits can be processed in a timely fashion. We acknowledge there are some challenges.

“However we are taking steps to change to an automated claims processing system and expect this to go into effect within a year. This will result in a more timely turnaround of claims payments.”

However Government hit back at other criticisms of the scheme.

It said the plan was still affordable and popular. The statement said: “If offers unmatched flexibility in the acceptance of applicants who wish to join.

“The HIP plan is the only plan on the Island to have an open registration period twice a year in March and September. This provides an excellent opportunity for individuals to obtain medical insurance coverage without a medical exam.

“The HIP plan accepts all types of risks in spite of the high associated costs for an affordable amount.

“The recent benefits approved for the 2005/06 year an increase in the benefits for in-hospital medical service for surgery, anaesthetics and in-hospital consultation.”