User fees for health facilities to go up August 1

Persons with health insurance, non-residents, and private patients will pay more to access services at public health facilities starting August 1.

The Ministry of Health is advising that the cost of registration when visiting a medical facility will move from $1,500 to $3,000, and it will cost $7,500, up from $3,500, to visit speciality clinics.

Morgue services will move from $1000 per day to $2,000 per day; and patients in an intensive care unit will have to pay $10,600 per day, up from $5,000.

There is also an increase in the fees for food handlers permits, up from $500 to $1,000.

The ministry says the full schedule of increases are contained in the National Health Services (Fees) Amendment Regulations 2016, which can be accessed through the Government Printing Office, its four regional health authorities or any local public hospital.

It points out that the increases were previously approved by Cabinet and gazetted in regulations.

Jamaicans who do not fall in any of the above mentioned categories, that is, public patients without health insurance, will continue to access the public health services without charge, in keeping with the abolition of user fees for public health facilities that took effect in 2008. 

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