By Tyrone Reid, Staff ReporterTHE MINISTRY of Labour and Social Security wants its 43,000 pensioners who have not registered for their permanent health cards to do so by November.
"After November 30, those persons who have not registered for the electronic cards will not be able to access NI Gold benefits," said Denzil Thorpe, acting director of National Insurance.
Mr. Thorpe told The Gleaner that because the pensioners were slow in responding to the call to trade in their temporary health cards for the more technologically-advanced swipe cards, the deadline was extended from July to November. However, the Ministry is resolute there will be no further extensions.
A few of the benefits that failure to get registered will eliminate pensioners from receiving are: $30,000 and $12,000 per procedure for surgeon and assistant surgeon's fee respectively and $12,000 per procedure for anaesthetist's fee.
However, Mr. Thorpe pointed out that in order to activate these benefits, pensioners will have to co-pay $1,000 for the surgeon's fee and $500 for the assistant surgeon and anaesthetist's fee.
Albeit, for benefits such as hospital room and board, hospital miscellaneous and hospital outpatient fees, pensioners will only foot the excess of the allotted coverage, if necessary.
The National Insurance Pensioners Health Plan or NI Gold, which was launched in December 2003, offers health benefits to over 80,000 NIS pensioners, all of whom were sent temporary health cards. But, to date only 37,000 pensioners have registered for their permanent health cards.
"It is urgent because the date has already passed and people have not come out to register," lamented Mr. Thorpe.
To get registered, pensioners should visit the nearest Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) centre. Mr. Thorpe pointed out that there is an EOJ centre in every constituency. He added that pensioners who are unable to make it to the centre should call the EOJ and they would arrange a house visit.
