What isnt noted here is that people who were 60 years of age and still working now must also pay until they are 70. What a joke. You retire, you barely get enough money as is from your pension and now u must pay tax . What a joke.

Skyewill I agree... if I were a self employed person I would rather save that MBS% requirement in my own 'flexible healthcare spending account' and use it when I need to go to the doctor. Unlike the one in the U.S. its not tax deductible and and I would have to set aside that money myself in a special savings account. That was one benefit I enjoyed with my former employer, it was tax free and it covered what ever co-insurance I had during the year. The only hiccup I had to estimate how much I would need to contribute every pay period to ensure that I had enough to last me the year.

I agree with you in principle but I still say MBS is Medical insurance. bad insurance but insurance no the less that can be improved upon. There is no way self employed is going to pay into this mess they get nothing from it. The ones that is forced to pay it will pay for everyone that don't pay but it is a system that can be improved on and evolve inot a real Medical insurance with real benefits to the policy holders.

Wada they already increased the take by now making it mandatory that self employed persons pay

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Offering more services in these guava crop times, I predict an increase of the percentage of the Med Ben deductions within six months, then they will say we increased your benefits so we have to take more... I await.

Perplexed, well said. Skyewill I have already provided you with a link to the MBS site, take the time to go there and see the limited number of illnesses covered ( Asthma, Cancer, Cardiovascular Diseases, Certified Lunacy, Diabetes, Glaucoma, Hypertension, Leprosy, Sickle Cell Anemia). The MBS inquiry in 2002 concluded that persons were not getting value for money from the MBS scheme.

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Sarcasm my dear, sarcasm

Perplexed, well said!!

I think you are missing something here. In the US most insured persons go to the doctor and pay their co-pay or their deductible and the insurance company will pay the doctor the contracted rate minus the patient cost sharing. In Antigua even though you have medical benefits (some what an insurance scheme) you still have to pay the 100% of charges to the physician then you submit a claim and get back in this case $30.00. Why pay into medical benefits if you still have to pay 100% of your medical fees? I will tell you this $30 is not good enough when for a PCP you pay as little as $150 and for a specialist you pay as little as $200 per visit. Can you imagine paying 5% of your salary monthly to MBS and based on those two charges I listed all you getting back is a mere $30? This also begs an issue and also highlights some gaps in our health scheme.... Who sets physicians prices? Who determines that the usual and customary charges from these physicians are equitable? What methodologies do they employ to determine appropriate charges for each encounter? What methodology did they use to set the $30 reimbursement rate and is it appropriate? I can go on and on….

This have got to be the best in the world. I got to the doctor and get money back? where is the AFLAC duck? I don't know much about it. I hope it is sustainable and there is not need to go to india we just need to improve on what we have. I seem that they need to come to Antigua and see how we do it.