Miller urges medical debt write-off for over 60s

| 01/05/2019 | 44 Comments

Cayman News Service(CNS): Ezzard Miller, the representative for North Side, is calling on the Government of National Unity to write off medical debts for Caymanians over 60 on low incomes. Speaking on behalf of his own constituents, he asked government to extend the generosity it has shown to indebted drivers over vehicle licences to elderly members of the community that are struggling to cover the costs of treatment and medication.

“I invite government to write off all medical bills owed to the government by Caymanians over 60 years of age and who are subsisting on incomes below the minimum wage, are on government poor relief, or who do not have adequate health insurance,” Miller said.

Miller spoke about instances where elderly people had died leaving outstanding medical debts that their dependents inherited, some of whom are in dire financial circumstances.

“Government, with its $100 million surplus, is in a financial position to help these, the neediest in our community, especially when we consider the critical ramifications of ill-health and the vital nature of access to healthcare,” he stated.

Miller urged government to help people burdened with medical bills they cannot handle and to terminate the contract the Health Services Authority has with a local law firm which is threatening people with court action, in some cases in pursuit of a few hundred dollars.

He also warned that in some cases the lawyers are harassing people for outstanding bills that cannot even be authenticated or have been paid but are being pursued because of poor record-keeping.

The firm, HSM Chambers, was given the lucrative contract at the beginning of last year. The HSA has refused to disclose details of the cut the lawyers are getting on the debts they recover, citing the potential impact on future tenders for debt collectors.

The hospital has not yet revealed the amount of debt so far collected, though it is evident from advertisements the law firm took out in the local print media, which name and shame people with debts to the hospital and ask the public to reveal their whereabouts or information about them, that they are pursuing all avenues to find those who owe money for past medical treatment.

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Category: Government Finance, Health, Politics

Comments (44)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Why don’t you all pay National Insurance taken out of your monthly salaries like the U.K. then there wouldn’t be any medical debts.

  2. Anonymous says:

    It’s a well-known saying that socialists enjoy spending other people’s money. They just aren’t very good at managing things when that money runs out.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    This was a genius move by Ezzard and it calls into question the decision making process to forgive debt by the government. Your move Alden … too late, checkmate.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Cns please help sound an alarm about the amount of mosquitos around the hospital grounds, I believe that should be the last plave we would want to be bitten by mosquitos.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Great so I’ll just refuse to pay until I’m 60! Amnesties for all! I feel like the government is a bunch of Oprah’s giving away cars. Next amnesty, robbers get to keep whatever they stole as long as they tell RCIPS where they took it from.

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  6. AAA says:

    And in other news, Alva, Anthony and Arden have called for . . . Ezzard to stop coming up with ideas until they can find one.
    Don’t wait on them Ezzard. Keep on being the most informed, concerned and hard working elected official we have. We appreciate it sir.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Yes Ezzard brilliant financial management plan, lets just write off the debts owed so you can then call the HSA to Finance Committee and cuss them for not doing their jobs. Its Government policy that has created this mess. Remember the HSA cannot refuse to treat anyone. If they had decent insurance this would not happen. Get the national insurance running and stop playing politics Ezzard! You should also ask you doctor friends to stop price gouging that may help a little as well.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Translation: _You_ are paying for that debt.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Populist sound bite #137 for 2019, and it’s only May!

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Ezzard make up your mind, first you moan about the car licensing fees amnesty and the same week you propose a major write off of money owed to the HSA. What are you playing at ? Just trying to get votes ?

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  11. Ron Ebanks says:

    Good job Mr Ezzard Miller , if you were closer I would kiss you and I don’t normally kiss men .

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  12. Anonymous says:

    We need a national health system ASAP. It is time to stop being controlled by the insurance companies and their business lobby groups.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    I understand that the hospital’s accounts are in such a mess that they don’t even have a clue who owes or how much. I pay my bills on time, and keep my records but if they double bill me I will not double pay them. I am fully prepared to go to prison over it. I am from the “old school” who always pay our bills even before we buy groceries. On top of that I will bring a law suit against them for harassment.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    So, not for expats too Ezz? Caymankind discrimination at its finest.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Heh? You can’t be serious. There’re 2 expats categories. One includes rich who are enjoying their life in Cayman and don’t need your handouts. Second group includes people under 50 (mostly) who are on work permits.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Why allow expats to come to Cayman that can’t pay their bills and end up a burden on Govt. which is the payers , thats makes no sense at all

  15. Anonymous says:

    Good to see HSM are doing their job. To collect the money they are instructed to collect without fear or favor. Perhaps if government agencies did their jobs, this situation would not arise.

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    • Anonymous says:

      If government agencies did their job there would be hundreds of millions of surplus to be shared amongs the Caymanian people. The waste, incompetence, and disregard for the fiduciary obligations they have towards the Caymanian people in relation to the people’s money is amazing. If these people in government cannot operate Cayman with anything like the checks and balances of any prudent business, they should have no role to play.

      Congratulations to Ezzard. He gets it. A masterful political play.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Buying votes….let me count the ways !!!

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    • Ron Ebanks says:

      4:49pm , what do you think Alden is doing by wanting to have millions of dollars forgiven for traffic violators?

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  17. Anonymous says:

    Refusing to pay one’s debt amounts to theft and each individual should be charged as such.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Big difference between refusing and can’t. A difference trust fund babies who drive rovers wouldn’t understand.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Sent from my iPhone XR

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      • Anonymous says:

        Exactly. In states, one submits his financials for the last year to a hospital’s financial aid department and if a person indeed is a low income and can’t pay, it is then written off. If you just refuse to pay it’s sent to a collection agency.
        Also, medical bills can easily be wiped out by filing for bankruptcy.
        So there is a process in place, unlike in the CI.

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        • Anonymous says:

          One major difference, they have to submit their tax returns etc as their financials where your income can be verified, and since we all benefit from no tax how can you validate income! I wish people would stop with ” in the USA, UK etc etc’ its not a comparative to a country of 65k

    • Anonymous says:

      anon 4:19 I pray if you get sick you can pay your bills remember karma,

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    • Anonymous says:

      “elderly people had died leaving outstanding medical debts that their dependents inherited”? As a rule, those debts are paid from the deceased person’s estate.

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      • Anonymous says:

        By inherited they mean the relatives don’t want to pay the debts out of the estate. The old story that it would be wrong to sell or mortgage land or a house passed on to the next generation to pay the debts.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Maybe the deceased had nothing to leave

        • Anonymous says:

          They left debt. It doesn’t just magically disappear when you croak, despite what many around here think.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    #entitlementkind

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  19. Anonymous says:

    Free stuff for everyone yay!!!

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  20. Anonymous says:

    How about urging to get a Dr at the Eye Clinic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Urge that.

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