Delinquent employers who shirk paying health insurance for their staff can now be named in public.

The Health Insurance Amendment Act 2015 has been approved by the Senate with Opposition support, although the Progressive Labour Party’s Diallo Rabain questioned how the law would be enforced.

“What is the recourse to get them to pay?” Sen Rabain asked. “How does this help an already bad situation, except their name is presented on a list that you can view?”

Government senator Lynn Woolridge responded that the Bermuda Health Council’s compliance officer would investigate complaints, in conjunction with the government insurance commission.

Being named as non-compliant would affect whether a business could be viewed as an employer in good standing, she said.

Hundreds of cases of staff without insurance were reported monthly in the past year, the Senate heard, which was discovered only when people went to their doctors or attended hospital and learnt they were not covered.