Claims that some doctors oppose pre-certification because they don’t want increased accountability have been refuted by the Ministry of Health and Environment.

In a joint statement the Ministry, the Bermuda Medical Doctors’ Association and the Bermuda Health Council stated they disagreed with the claims made by a source in Monday’s Royal Gazette wholeheartedly.

A spokesman said: “The story reported that an anonymous individual claimed that physicians oppose pre-certification in order to avoid accountability. The Ministry, the Bermuda Health Council and the Bermuda Medical Doctors’ Association disagree with this position wholeheartedly.

“The Government is working collaboratively with stakeholders to jointly identify solutions on the best way to tackle known problems in our health system. Recent discussions have made it very clear that there is broad support for improving quality in healthcare whilst also containing the costs in what is a cumbersome and fragmented system.

“There is broad agreement that it will take the efforts of all stakeholders to effect the change necessary to curb the burden of cost that our healthcare system is placing on us.”

The spokesman said that it is the view of the BMDA that physicians should be held accountable, and both the BHEC and the Bermuda Medical Council have played a key role in drafting and implementing standards for practice for physicians.

“Pre-certification is just one of the options that is being explored to address the cost of healthcare in Bermuda,” the spokesman added. “While there is debate regarding the merits and challenges presented by pre-certification, what all the stakeholders have agreed upon is that change is necessary, and the Ministry, the BMDA and the Council are committed to working together to effect positive change.”

Sources familiar with the debate told The Royal Gazette last week the Bermuda Health Council had been tasked by Government with developing a system for pre-certification in the face of escalating healthcare costs.

Rather than insurers declining claims on unnecessary procedures, pre-certification would be aimed at letting patients know in advance whether they would end up paying for themselves.

The source said: “The reason why some physicians are fighting back on this is [because] this is going to bring accountability into the system. For years and years, they’ve been free to do what they like.”