Kapavore eyes plan for civil service health cover

By JEFFREY EAPA
A POLICY submission now before the National Executive Council would make compulsory public service health insurance cover in the future, Public Service Minister Elias Kapavore said.
Kapavore said the lack of health insurance cover for the general workforce and elected leaders had taken its toll with the increasing number of sick leaves and untimely passing of many young promising public servants and leaders in recent time.
He said the country cannot continue to go that path if they were to have a productive workforce especially in achieving the Vision 2050.
Kapavore said a proposed Health Insurance policy from a policy paper co-sponsored by Finance Minister James Marape and himself was deliberated by NEC on Dec 14, 2018.
He said that in the deliberation, the NEC recommended for wider public consultation with the Public Employees’ Association and their respective unions on Jan 15 this year.
Kapavore said once all consultation processes were completed and the NEC policy accepted and approved, the health insurance policy cover would become compulsory for all public servants.
“This means, we may have to revisit the existing arrangements with Nasfund and Nambawan Super and allow our members options to choose considering the benefits available to them. He said the PNG Health Insurance Scheme was backed by the world’s largest insurance company known as AXA, with its headquarters in Paris, France.
He said the company would ensure that all valid claims were paid and that members would have access to health services overseas, apart form those available in PNG ,through their networks of clinics and hospitals. Kapavore said the claims would be processed by the third party administrator, the Fullerton Group, based in Singapore.
He added that the company owns over 200 clinics and facilities across Singapore, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia.
“I support this Health Insurance Scheme considering the following benefits offered; the company will commit 25 per cent dividend to supporting PNG’s Public Employees’ Association with the respective unions to be trustees to the funds, provide cash-less health insurance cover for its members, apart from premium cover, it will allocate additional five percent profit before tax towards health infrastructure program and support medical supplies, compulsory medical checks for all members, 15 per cent cash back if no medical claims processed within two years and funeral support of amount ranging from K10,000-K20,000 and also continue coverage after retirement,” he said.