HEALTH look likely to get an extra £3.9 million to make sure that Islanders do not suffer following the scrapping of the reciprocal health agreement with the UK.
Treasury Minister Philip Ozouf said that he would be taking a proposition to the States asking them to make sure that Health was not out of pocket. The JEP revealed this week that the UK Department of Health’s decision to pull out of the 30-year agreement on 31 March would leave the department with a large hole in its budget. It is understood that the deal was very profitable for the Island and resulted in a net gain of £3.9 million because the UK paid far more to pay for the healthcare of it residents visiting Jersey than the Island paid out for that care.
Health have already said that they could not absorb such a loss and warned that they would have to prioritise and cut services if no more money was forthcoming.
