Cabinet Approves Interim Payment for Blue Cross to Administer Public Sector Health Scheme

Cabinet has approved an interim payment of $120 million to Blue Cross of Jamaica, the administrators of the Government Employees Administrative Services Only (GEASO) public sector heath scheme, to allow the health insurance provider to continue to administer the health scheme for public sector workers.
Addressing journalists at the (October 9), post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Senator Dwight Nelson, explained that since March of this year the Ministry has received claims from Blue Cross of Jamaica for an additional $24 to $30 million per month.
“The basis of this claim for additional funds by Blue Cross is an increase in the number of public sector employees who benefit from the scheme. We have ascertained that there has been something in the region of a five and a half per cent increase in the scheme,” Senator Nelson informed.
“Based on their calculations, Blue Cross has demanded of the government an additional $219 million. This government cannot afford for (there to be) any interruption in the provision of benefits to public sector employees or their dependents, and so Cabinet has approved an interim payment of $120 million to Blue Cross, plus an additional $30 million monthly, so as to allow them to continue to administer the scheme,” he informed further.
Senator Nelson told journalists that while the Ministry has in fact confirmed that there has been an increase in the number of public sector workers who benefit from the scheme, it intends to conduct an audit to verify the company’s claim.
The Government presently pays Blue Cross some $141 million per month for administering the scheme.