SOME senior citizens are going without health insurance because they feel they cannot afford the cost of rising premiums.

That was the message yesterday from Opposition MP Louise Jackson, who said numerous seniors had called her to say that this year's rise in the cost of the Government Hospital Insurance Premium (HIP) scheme had been the last straw.

The United Bermuda Party MP accused the Government of "continuous financial abuse of seniors" and added that doctors were sometimes having to wait 11 months to be reimbursed by HIP and seniors, up to two years. Willard Fox, president of the Bermuda Physically Handicapped Association, said he intended to give up his HIP policy because the premiums had become unaffordable.

Mr. Fox, who uses a wheelchair, said rises in his disabled pension were being eclipsed by rises in health care costs each year.

Age Concern executive director Claudette Fleming urged seniors with problems paying their health care costs to contact their parliamentarians.

And she added that it was time for Government, businesses and the community, to collectively address the problem of spiralling health care costs ? and to realise that the solution would cost money.

Mrs. Jackson said: "The cost of HIP has increased so much that seniors can just not afford it. So they have been dropping it and have left themselves with no health insurance at all.

"The policy only allows them two doctors' visits per year ? and it only pays 70 per cent of that. Because it's taking 11 months for doctors to get their money from HIP, they are now asking for seniors to pay in cash or by cheque.

"Because of the increase in premiums, HIP policy-holders are being left with only $50 or $100 left in their pensions for a whole month. To compound that situation, it takes the senior up to two years to get reimbursed by HIP."

Mrs. Jackson said even a relatively minor health problem could mean using the policy's entire annual quota of two doctor's visits, back to back.

While most doctors were asking seniors on HIP to pay $40 for a visit, some were now asking for $100, she added.

"I've had so many calls about this," Mrs. Jackson said. "One woman told me her HIP premium has just gone up from $133 a month to $161. Her pension is $300 a month. What's she supposed to live on?

"Some people are avoiding taking part in seniors' activities because they are worried about falling and not being able to afford medical treatment. Some are not using the phone because they want to save their calls for emergencies.

"This is another example of the continuous financial abuse of seniors. This Progressive Labour Party Government does not care about seniors.

"Pensions need to be reformed. If people get a $20 pension rise, it's taken away by health insurance rises."

Health Minister Patrice Minors did not respond by press time to a message left at her office yesterday. Mr. Fox said his monthly HIP insurance premium had been $144.90 up until March, when his bill doubled to $289.80.

"I was fully paid up for 2004 and had not got behind in my payments," Mr. Fox said. "So I don't know why they charged me double.

"I haven't got my April bill yet but I hear it's going to be about $161. It's going up every year. My medication has just gone up as well to $113.50 for 60 pills. That lasts me two months.

"My pension is only $351. Every time I get a small increase in the pension, I get a bigger increase in health insurance. I can't afford my health insurance any more so I'm going to drop it. I hope they will still take care of me."

Ms Fleming said Age Concern had not had any calls from people considering dropping HIP because of its cost, but that she was concerned about rising health care costs.

"We are concerned that, in general, health insurance costs have risen 25 per cent in the last two years," Ms Fleming said.

"My feeling is that the cost of health care in Bermuda is unacceptable. We have got to make up our minds, as a country, as to how important health care is.

"The problem is that the policy makers are not being held accountable, because people are not saying anything. I am talking about everyday people picking up the phone and telling their parliamentarians about their situation. At the moment, people are not doing that, so there is no public pressure to do anything different."

Ms Fleming added that the solution would not arrive without money coming from somewhere ? and that meant tough decisions having to be taken.

"If a high level of health care for everyone is on our wish list, then we must have a financial model that can support that," Ms Fleming said. "We are going to have to make some sacrifices. I'm talking about Government doing something very bold, taking measures that will impinge on some people.

"And I'm talking about the insurance companies and the exempt companies having a role to play. These companies benefit greatly from the business environment they enjoy in Bermuda.

"I'm not saying they don't contribute anything now. But I do think it would be a small price for them to pay to meet a share of the cost of looking after the health of the people who have made the country successful. What's the point of prospering in a country where we have sick people who can't afford treatment?"

She added that the situation was summed up by the adage: "To whom much is given, much is expected of."

"If the Government has been given the responsibility of taking care of the people, then it is expected to do that," Ms Fleming said.

"If a company is benefiting financially from being here, then it expected to give back."

Individuals also had a responsibility of looking at their lifestyles and seeing if they could save more money and avoid being a financial burden on the country in later years, she added.