Health Minister Walter Roban, who has had a torrid time since joining the Cabinet, deserves credit for taking the politically difficult decision of putting a freeze on FutureCare, the Government programme that aimed to provide affordable health care to senior citizens.

Mr. Roban cannot be blamed in any real way for the decision to promise such a wide-ranging programme without costing it out or applying any thought to how it would work. Although he was a candidate for the House of Assembly in the 2007 general election, he had no formal role in the national campaign.

And as a very new Cabinet Minister, he cannot be held responsible for its flawed implementation up until now.

He could, however, as Health Minister, offer an apology to Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson, who has been the leading advocate for seniors since her election to the House of Assembly in 2003 and has also been the person raising concerns about FutureCare.

For her troubles, she has primarily received a torrent of abuse from the Government. Now that she has been proven right, at least for the most part, the big thing to do would be to apologise.

In the meantime, Mr. Roban has taken the right decision in announcing that HIP will be re-opened to seniors who will otherwise not receive at least some health coverage at a reasonable cost in the event that they either missed the boat on FutureCare or are unable to get or afford private health insurance.

That's a good move, at least as far as it goes, and it will give the Government time to think up ways to provide affordable health care to seniors now that it is clear FutureCare will not work.

It is important to note here that no one would dispute that seniors have a right to affordable health care. No one, especially a senior citizen, should be forced to give up insurance on the grounds of cost, and no one should have to choose between food and prescription medications, as was once the case.

But coming up with a scheme that is fair and affordable to seniors without bankrupting the Island is the task now before Mr. Roban.

It seems likely that one of two approaches will be taken. Either two or more classes of insurance will be offered – one of which might be the equivalent of major medical and the other a no frills coverage for a lower price (minor medical?) – or there will be a form of means testing in which the same coverage will be offered to all, but at different prices depending on the wherewithal of the client.

Neither of these alternatives is very attractive and both are politically difficult. But it must be obvious that FutureCare as promised by the Progressive Labour Party in the 2007 election campaign – a highly affordable and comprehensive medical insurance available to all seniors – is financial madness. That was true in December, 2007 – and warnings then fell on deaf ears – but it is now blindingly obvious while Bermuda grapples with a recession.

What is needed is a full and constructive debate with all stakeholders in the health system, including patients, to come up with a solution that will give senior citizens an assurance that their medical needs will be taken care of at the same time that it does not bankrupt the country.

There is a vehicle for this too. This is precisely the kind of task that the Bermuda Health Council was supposed to tackle, but in public at least, it has been virtually moribund since its inception.

Mr. Roban needs to task it with gathering the opinions of all stakeholders and coming up with sensible options so he can make an informed and considered decision.