A "loophole" that allowed politicians to join a health insurance scheme at a moment's notice if they became seriously ill ? and which sparked controversy when exactly that was done in 2002 to pay off-Island medical treatment for the late Tourism Minister David Allen ? is to be closed.

In the interest of fairness to all those who pay premiums to be part of the Government Employees Health Insurance (GEHI) Fund, MPs and Senators will no longer be able to jump into the scheme to receive immediate insurance for costly bills.

There are more than 6,000 policyholders in the scheme, with nearly 4,000 additional policies covering dependants. It was originally a health insurance fund for civil servants but was expanded in 1999 to allow MPs and Senators to also join.

The tightening up of the scheme was announced by Finance Minister Paula Cox as she presented an amendment to the House of Assembly that restricts entry to the scheme by politicians to the first three months after they are elected or appointed.

If they do not take up the option within those three months they, and their non-employed spouses or dependants must wait for six months to be enrolled ? or a shorter period to be determined by committee ? before being admitted.

And the upper age limit for employees' children who can be included in the scheme providing they are full-time students is to be raised from 21 to 26 by the Government Employees (Health Insurance) Amendment Act 2006.

Shadow Finance Minister welcomed the tighter rules and expanded coverage for full-time student dependants and said that, in the past, individuals with a serious pre-existing medical conditions had enrolled in the scheme to cover costs.

By putting in a buffer of six months, or a yet to be determined shorter period, this would ensure that medical checks can be carried out before a person is admitted into the scheme and therefore make it fairer for those others who are already paying monthly premiums.

In the Auditor General's recently published report, Larry Dennis said of the GEHI: "In 2002, a Minister who had not enrolled in the Plan needed urgent off-Island medical attention. Just hours before he began incurring medical costs he was enrolled in the Plan. This Plan cost almost $57,000.

"I questioned the probity of after-the fact insurance coverage and was assured that this was within the law. I was also assured that this was unlikely to happen again, an assurance I believe is without merit."

Mr. Dennis said he thought putting in a six month waiting period following an application to join and the need for a medical examination were "appropriate" changes.

Expanding the debate Shadow Health Minister said the prospect of premiums rising by $44 a month would hurt pensioners who get by on a monthly fixed income of $1,000. And she spoke of instances brought to her attention where those with the health insurance have to pay "up front" out to see a doctor and receive prescription medication and then wait up to a year to be refunded through the policy.

Mrs. Jackson said matters were made worse by the practice of some doctors who charged between $10 and $14 to fax a prescription to a pharmacy.

She also mentioned the problem of having to pay up front more than $1,000 for dentistry work and then having a lengthy wait to be reimbursed through the insurance policy.

Former Shadow Finance Minister Dr. Grant Gibbons said auditing of the fund account was three years in arrears and needed to be looked at closely, adding: "The loophole that is now being closed prevents members of the legislature who don't enrol in GEHI subsequently enrolling when they get sick. That was not fair on the others.

"If someone can enter at anytime it is disadvantaging those who are paying all the time whether they are ill or not."

He said he was surprised that MP Derrick Burgess, the chairman of the fund, did not appear to be aware of the practice of some doctors charging up to $14 to fax prescriptions for patients.

Finance Minister Mrs. Cox replied that Mr. Burgess had only recently been appointed to the chairmanship of the fund and had a track record of looking after the welfare of seniors and others.

And on the question of auditing she said the 2003 account was now being audited and the 2004 and 2005 accounts were ready for auditing. She said the the fund's costs had risen from $18 million in 2001 to $34 million last year.

Her UBP opposite number Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin pointed out that it was dangerous to project future figures for the fund based on un-audited accounts.

The bill was passed and will now go before the Senate.