FutureCare is affordable when compared to similar private schemes, Government Senator Thaao Dill told members of the Upper House yesterday.

But, he said, it was "not designed to be a Cadillac, major medical, high-end be-all end-all type insurance plan".

As The Royal Gazette has previously reported, an additional 5,471 seniors are eligible for phase two of FutureCare.

They will be required to pay $600 a month for benefits including unlimited physician visits, $2,000 prescription drugs coverage, vision and dental care as well as overseas care.

The second phase is open to anyone over 70, and anyone who turns 65 this fiscal year.

A $300 monthly premium a $38 increase over the initial fee will be charged to 2,681 seniors accepted into the first phase. They will be eligible for the same benefits as those enrolled in phase two.

Last week Health Minister Walter Roban said persons enrolled in phase one were charged less because the majority of them were on the Government's low-cost plan, HIP, prior to FuturePlan being created.

Such persons, would therefore have been unable to pay higher premiums, Mr. Roban said.

HIP will stay open for seniors who only want a basic plan; Minister Roban said this would offer seniors more choice.

The $600 premium for second phase clients of FutureCare was between 36 percent to 100 percent lower than private sector plans with the same benefits, Sen. Dill said yesterday.

He cited a private health plan that costs $900 a month but does not include all the benefits offered on Government's plan and another that charges $1,300 a month for a plan with dental and vision care, both of which are offered on FutureCare.

Another plan costs eight dollars less, Senator Dill said, but does not cover doctors' visits and people over 70 are not eligible.

Sen. Dill told the Upper Chamber yesterday: "It's obvious that the optimum, utopian desire would be to guarantee restriction-free health care for all, seniors or otherwise.

"However, as adults, we are all aware that's simply not how the world works.

"That is why FutureCare is such a special and especially effective programme, it balances the obligation to provide options to our seniors while sensibly and sustainably managing the budgetary resources available."

And he added that because FutureCare phase one came in within its projected budget "is an undeniable testament" that the plan was created to help seniors while not adding too much financial burden on the Country."

Currently Age Concern estimates that there are 240 seniors without any health insurance, based on a 2008 report. That accounts for three percent of the 8,000 seniors on the Island.

Their study, completed before FutureCare was offered, indicated that 60 percent of the elderly are enrolled in a major medical plan. Sen. Dill said the 240 without any medical coverage had not been "turned away or discriminated against by this Government".

He said Government was running radio adverts telling these seniors how they could get help.