The Bermuda Government has not taken a definite stance on the disputed issue of medical precertification, but the threat of its introduction has reined in the overuse of expensive medical tests.

Opposition leader Marc Bean asked Health Minister Jeanne Atherden if the move for precertification was being driven by insurance companies, and “one in particular”, over resistance from the Bermuda Medical Doctors Association (BMDA).

“I don’t agree,” Ms Atherden said. “Normally I would just say no — this circle is going around and around.”

As reported last month by The Royal Gazette, three overseas firms have responded to a government-issued request for information on the procedure, which requires physicians to get referrals for high-cost tests checked by another doctor.

Pressed by various members of the Progressive Labour Party to state whether the Government had committed to implementing the system, the minister repeatedly maintained that the responses were still under review.

Numerous physicians oppose precertification, as indicated in the BMDA’s last statement on the procedure, issued in October.

The association “believe that utilisation needs to be re-examined, and that’s what we are doing”, Ms Atherden said.

She told Mr Bean that a decision had yet to be made on whether to proceed with requests for proposal.

Asked by PLP MP Dennis Lister for “a simple, straight answer”, Ms Atherden insisted it was a work in progress, but said overuse may have been cut down in the meantime.

The Government has yet to determine whether “precertification is the way to make this happen”, she added — if “the stick is better than the carrot”.