July 28, 2005
Health insurance provider Blue Cross of Jamaica, has launched a critical illness policy that pays a lump sum of J$1.5m to policy owners upon diagnosis of cancer, heart attack, stroke or kidney failure.
The policy was launched at the Knutsford Court Hotel on Thursday, July 28, and represents the latest in a series of insurance products introduced by Blue Cross of Jamaica.
Critical Blue makes the fourth critical illness policy on the market, but unlike the other three, Critical Blue covers kidney failure, an illness which according to BCJ's President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Errol Morrison, numbers up to 1,000- 1,500 new cases each year, resulting in the need for dialysis, a very expensive support therapy.
Dr. Morrison described chronic illnesses as 'the bane of our society.' He also said; "A healthy lifestyle is important, since 1 in every 1,000 Jamaicans will get cancer each year, 1 in every 2, will get high blood pressure and 1 in every 5 will get diabetes".
Guest speaker at the function Health minister, John Junor, lauded Blue Cross of Jamaica (BCJ) for their perseverance and innovation as he pointed out that the insurance company and the government have the same objective -the complete health of the people.
"In the final analysis, what is important is the creation of a citizenship that has the capacity to make the right decisions, which includes financial, health and others", he observed.
He also quoted the Healthy Lifestyle Survey of 2001, which says that only one-quarter of Jamaicans diagnosed with a chronic illness actively treat their condition and that because of this, government is launching a programme that would significantly increase that number.
According to David Garel, BCJ's Vice-President for Marketing and Customer Service, individuals from 18 to 65 are eligible and the policy expires at 70 years old. Hodgkin's disease, leukaemia and lymphomas are identified as cancer and so are also included in the Critical Blue coverage. Attorney-at-law, Velma Hamilton became the first Critical Blue Policy Holder when she signed up on the spot at the launch.
Critical Blue payments can be monthly, semi-annually or annually and are due on the first day of the first month. If a critical illness diagnosis is made within the first 90 days of acquiring the policy, then the lump sum of $1.5-m will not be given, instead, the payable benefit would be a refund of premiums paid to date. Similarly, if the policy owner or beneficiary dies within 30 days of a critical illness diagnosis, the payable benefit would be a refund of premiums paid to date.
The IBP is the section of the National Health Fund (NHF) that discounts chronic illness medication and treatment, sometimes supplying them free of cost to the elderly. Some 160,000 persons are presently enrolled in the NHF.
Said Junor, "Efforts are being made to increase enrolment in the IBP. Customer Service Agents will, over the next six months, focus on hospitals and health centres across the island to ensure that persons who access the public health services for chronic conditions will be enrolled on the spot and benefit from the NHF."
