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Hospital fees to rise 2%

Hospital fees will be raised by two percent to generate an extra $4.8 million over the next fiscal year.Health Minister Zane DeSilva said one percent of the increase is for inflation and the other one percent is because of the new hospital construction project.Opening the debate on the Bermuda Hospitals Board Amendment Act on Monday night, Mr DeSilva said more funds are needed because expenses will increase by $8 million over the next 12 months.He told the House of Assembly BHB had initially proposed an increase of 2.85 percent, but had lowered it to two percent after digging deep to make more savings.One Bermuda Alliance MP Louise Jackson said she had was satisfied with the Minister’s explanation for the increase.Mrs Jackson claimed healthcare costs are higher than necessary partly because elderly patients who are well enough to be discharged remain stuck in acute care because they have no home to go to.