Former Member of Parliament, Rolando Brison, is very pleased to announce that the
Social & Health Insurances SZV has decided to indefinitely reverse its decision to
exclude certain directors from health insurance coverage. This move comes after weeks
of discussions and advocacy by Brison, addressing a potentially major issue within the
healthcare system for company directors in St. Maarten.
Over recent weeks, Brison has engaged with numerous businesspeople who expressed
significant concern regarding the proposed policy that would have excluded them from
health insurance coverage. “I do not believe it would have been right to exclude
hundreds of directors who have been paying into SZV and deserve to be covered, along
with their families,” Brison stated. “Especially considering the anticipation of new
legislation that would ensure inclusive healthcare for everyone in St. Maarten.”
The policy, which was slated to take effect on September 1, 2024, would have canceled
insurance for director majority shareholders registered as insured employees prior to
September 1, 2022. SZV’s decision to delay the implementation indefinitely was
influenced by a comprehensive analysis of the expected social and financial impacts,
particularly during the peak of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.
“For that reason, I took it upon myself to discuss with various stakeholders, both within
and outside government circles, to encourage the reversal of this policy. I understood
the potential damage it could do, causing hundreds of people to lose critical health
insurance coverage,” Brison continued.
Brison reminded those involved of his strong advocacy in 2023 for legislation in
parliament aimed at raising the insurance caps. This legislation was designed to ensure
that more managing directors contribute to and receive insurance coverage. Despite the
increase in contributions from managing directors and higher-paid employees, the new
policy threatened their health insurance coverage, even though payments have been
deducted from their salaries since the law passed.
SZV management has reiterated its commitment to a people-centric approach, aligning
with the recent decision to delay the policy. Over the years, SZV has adopted flexible
measures to ensure director majority shareholders have access to medical insurance.
However, recent legal challenges highlighted the need for compliance with laws
governing premium collections for sickness, accident, and severance insurance. Urgent
meetings between SZV, the Ministry of Public Health, and other stakeholders are
ongoing to address necessary changes to the Sickness and Accident and Cessantia
National Ordinances.
Brison concluded, “This postponement is a victory for fairness and common sense. It
ensures that those who have dutifully contributed to SZV continue to receive the coverage they deserve while we work towards a more inclusive healthcare system for all of St. Maarten.”
