The Honourable Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Ellis L Webster is reassuring the public that the Premier Shield health programme is an integral policy of his ruling Anguilla Progressive Movement (APM) Administration and is not going anywhere.
During the Government’s Press Conference on Monday 17th July, 2023, Radio Anguilla’s Niamke Brooks posed a question to the Honourable Minister of Finance, Premier Ellis L. Webster, regarding the reliability and longevity of the Senior Shield programme.
The Senior Shield, which was launched by the current administration on April 23rd 2023, is an insurance scheme that provides healthcare for all Anguillian residents aged seventy and older.
The Premier who also carries the portfolio of Health, left no stone unturned to assure the public that the Senior Shield will not be stopped, and even though the seniors’ insurance is not law, per se, it has had the blessings and approval of Executive Council.
Mr. Brooks asked whether there was any intention to pause the Senior Shield, considering the high number of elderly individuals who have taken the opportunity to register for the insurance plan.
“No! I won’t even let you complete your question,” the Premier emphatically answered with promptness. “There is no plan to pause or stop Senior Shield. We did the actuarial studies, and those studies informed us as to what our costs should be. And indeed, we have budgeted to cover those costs.”
He said that information was provided by the Health Authority regarding the numbers. Those numbers were then correlated with the number of persons that qualified for the $500 vouchers for those who are seventy years and older. These vouchers have been issued twice so far since the April launch.
“The number of seniors who qualified initially was 820. Right now, however, we have a figure of 890 persons registered for Senior Shield. This means that our people are turning seventy faster and they are living longer,” Premier Webster said. “We know that Senior Shield will help our people to live healthier lives. They would not have to decide whether they should pay for their medical care versus putting food on the table.”
A follow-up question related to the Senior Shield was asked by Lloyd Gumbs of Lloyd’s Live, who inquired whether there would be any Bill passed in the House to establish the Senior Shield Act as law.
“Senior Shield is a policy of this administration that has gone through Executive Council,” the Premier responded. “I can’t imagine where any other administration that takes up office would want to stop it. Again, it is budgeted for and accounted for. And it is a policy of this administration which will stand.”
“In terms of taking it to the House as an Act,” he said, “I think it will be incorporated as [part of] our National Health Insurance. That is what we are projecting. Then, all of these policies will be included in that document to preserve and protect the health and wellbeing of our people.”
During the launch of the Senior Shield in April Premier Webster said that the costs associated with the Programme will be borne by the taxpayers of Anguilla.
“The policy of free health care for Anguillians, seventy years and older, has been a priority of this administration and it has been a long time coming,” he reiterated. “This free health care is funded from the consolidated fund. Therefore, it is paid for by the taxes that the Government collects.”
