A Bill that will reduce the cost of standard healthcare, HIP and FutureCare premiums has been passed in the Senate.

The Health (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2017 will also adjust benefits and move dialysis and kidney transplants to the mutual reinsurance fund and remove the ten-month maternity cover exclusion.

The reduction amounts to $4.07 per month, down to $334 per month.

One Bermuda Alliance Senate leader Lynne Woolridge in reading the bill said: “We have been making every effort to reduce healthcare costs and, at last, are starting to see green shoots.

“The most important indicator telling us we’re on the right track is the National Health Accounts report. This report monitors annual total health spending and the latest report shows that in 2011 health spending began to level off, and in 2015 total health spending actually went down by 1.1 per cent for the first time on record. We finally bent the cost-curve — and we’re the first country to do so, compared to the OECD.”

The Bill was approved with no objections.