Age Concern hopes private health insurers will put an affordable health care option back on the table while Government works to implement its unprecedented health care service.

But its director Claudette Fleming has also asked Government to outline a clear timetable for the implementation of FutureCare.

FutureCare is an ambitious health care programme which aims to offer all Bermudians over 65 the right to comprehensive health services for just $60 a month, less than $750 a year.

Originally it was intended for everyone over 65 but Government has since decided to phase it in due to the financial climate.

Approximately 30 percent of the Island's ageing population are currently enrolled in the programme.

Its members also include persons on financial assistance, those who were enrolled into Government's basic health care programme, HIP, prior to April, and anyone born in 1944.

However it has emerged that since the announcement of FutureCare that the private sector no longer offers a basic medical plan, which means seniors face paying between $5,000 and $18,000 a year for health coverage — or go without.

"This is a very new issue where seniors do not have any affordable health care options," Mrs. Fleming said.

"At first I didn't believe it was true when people said health care providers no longer offer a HIP equivalent [a basic health care option that covers hospital visits, one doctor's appointment a year and $1,200 towards prescriptions]. I understand that these providers are businesses and must make a profit, but we are hoping to come to a compromise.

"We don't think Government was in a position to expand FutureCare [and offer it to everyone] but we hoped providers would be able to still offer the basic coverage, but we were told that it was not possible to do it."

Mrs. Fleming said from a business point of view many of the insurance companies said they were unable to compete with FutureCare and offer comprehensive benefits at a low cost, but she now hoped they would be willing to step up to the plate and offer basic coverage at a fair price while Government is in the process of rolling out the programme.

We are hoping to come to some sort of compromise situation," she said. "We are hoping that private companies could bring back basic health coverage until the time comes where Government is able to roll out FutureCare for everyone the caveat being that FutureCare will have to do it by a certain time."

She said companies might feel more comfortable if Government announced a time frame for when it would be able to offer the programme in totality — ideally within the next two years.

"I believe on both sides, the public and private, there is an interest to see senior care in Bermuda but we need to come to a middle ground. We are asking the insurers to see if there is anything they can do to assist with this issue in the short term."

Government has said it is working on a proposal that will address the issue, though no further information has been made public. The second phase of FutureCare will be rolled out in April 2010, though it is not known how many people will be admitted or what the eligibility requirements are.