Both of the Island's main political parties have pledged to address the problem of health coverage for seniors with the Opposition promising free prescription drugs and eyeglasses.

In November Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown told the House of Assembly that Government was planning to extend health coverage to seniors who are dropped from insurance policies when they retire.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome said a Health Council was being set up to look at this. He told The Royal Gazette a working group was on the case. "They are working to have everything ready for legislation for mid July."

On the health council working group are insurers, health professional bodies, unions and consumers represented by Sen Alfred Oughton. But Mr. Bascome could give no timetable about when reform would take place. "Insurance companies have to buy in to the process," he said.

Pressed about the slow pace of reform Mr. Bascome said his Government had improved the lot of seniors by introducing a seniors centre and mandatory pensions. And his Government had worked out a costing structure for hospital procedures which would give a statistical basis for change said Mr. Bascome.

He said people who could not afford medicine could appeal to financial assistance.

"It is means tested," said Mr. Bascome. The hospital also gives cheap medicine for the poor if they are unable to pay for monthly Government health insurance. The United Bermuda Party have yet to unveil detailed plans for senior health care.

Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley said this was coming soon with policy based on all the information available including the 1996 Oughton Report, which looked into the Island's health care, the Arthur Anderson report which followed it as well as "information from the community and ideas from our expertise".

He said: "One of the things we will do is address gaps in health care for seniors by aggressively pursuing health care and insurance reform so that someone who has worked hard all their life, will not have to worry about being a burden when retirement age arrives."

He promised free prescription drugs and eyeglasses would be available for seniors in financial need. "In addition we intend to implement automatic annual contributory-pension increases tied to the cost of living," said Mr. Dunkley. "Some people have nothing but their social insurance pension to rely on in their old age.

"The maximum amount payable at the moment is $875 and the average health care plan costs $600-700 a month. We have to find ways of raising the pension ceiling and lowering the cost of health insurance for seniors.

"We would tackle some of the thing that are long overdue - health insurance that disappears at retirement, just when it is needed most, for example, and pensions that get stuck at the same low level while the cost of living rises inexorably.