Government decries huge hospital deficit

The Milton Cato Memorial Hospital. Photo: One News SVG.

By Admin. Updated 11:17 a.m., Thursday, January 11, 2024, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

Some 80 percent of the people who can and should pay their bills at the hospital do not do so, Finance Minister Camillo Gonsalves said in his 2024 budget address.

“Revenues from fees pay less than 10 percent of the bills. And there is a generally lackadaisical attitude about fee collection,” Mr. Gonsalves told Parliament on January 8.

He said: In 2022, the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital saw 11,604 inpatients, and billed them a total of $2.3 million. The Hospital then applied $260,000 worth of discounts for age, ability to pay, and certain categories of patients, like unionised workers, nurses and the police. Of the $2 million remaining to be collected, the Hospital received a scant $253,000. Over 85 percent of bills owed were uncollected, and the 11,604 inpatients paid, on average, $22 for their healthcare”.

“This is not good enough,” he added.

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He said the government is currently revising hospital fees and collections and will follow through on Prime Minister Gonsalves’ 2023 Independence announcement to clear some unpaid hospital debts for people.

“The Strengthening Health System Resilience Project will include expert advice about fee revisions and collections, to come into effect when the Acute Care Hospital is opened. In the meantime, we will redouble efforts to collect fees from those who can afford to pay for their hospital services but choose not to,” he said.

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“However, we do not want to waste time pursing old and uncollectible debts. As such, the Honourable Prime Minister requested a complete review of all the debts owed by patients and their families to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, and all other hospitals in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines up to the 27th October, 2022. That review is not yet complete. When it is, the Government will clear the slate of old and uncollectible debts, apply the appropriate relief and waivers, and move forward with a more focused debt collection process between now and the application of our new fee structures,” he added.