New Health Minister Walter Roban has thanked Premier Ewart Brown for making his appointment permanent following a two-month stint standing in after the death of Nelson Bascome.

Mr. Roban, who had been Minister without Portfolio since June, was officially named Health Minister last Friday.

It means every position on Dr. Brown's Cabinet is now filled, with Elvin James resuming the Education role in August, a month after he was removed for publicly calling for the Premier to resign.

Mr. Roban said in a statement: "I'd like to thank the Premier for his confidence in my ability by appointing me as the substantive Minister of Health.

"I am mindful that the job of overseeing the health and well-being of the people of Bermuda is a great responsibility.

"As I have carried out my duties within this Ministry over the past two months, the spirit and mission of the late Minister Bascome has been evident throughout this Ministry.

"His passion and commitment to health care in Bermuda has been a great inspiration, and I will continue to fulfil his vision and that of the Government.

"The Ministry team consists of a group of highly professional and committed people. I look forward to working with them to ensure the wellness and the best health care for the people of the Bermuda."

Dr. Brown said in a statement: "Over the past several weeks, Minister Roban has undertaken significant leadership roles in several areas of Government. He has embraced his Ministerial duties with passion, excitement and intense dedication.

"Improving the health and well-being of Bermudians is an integral part of this Government's overall agenda. There is tremendous work that has been done by Nelson Bascome and his team which has yielded great results. And I am confident that Minister Roban will successfully build upon the noble work started by the late Minister."

Former members of Dr. Brown's Cabinet who remain on the backbench include Dale Butler, Randy Horton, Dennis Lister, Terry Lister and Wayne Perinchief.

¦ Over the weekend, Mr. Roban said fees to cover revamping the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital have already been included in the latest fee hike.

He spoke out after BF&M's CEO John Wight said the public may see increased insurance premiums due to rising hospital costs and "additional fees passed on to local insurers to fund hospital improvements".

Effective from April 1, a 10.19 percent increase was implemented on the Standard Hospital Benefit Premium.

That 10.19 percent was comprised of 6.95 percent in recognition of the Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) fee increase and close to four percent to account for the insurers administration of the premium.

The Health Minister noted nearly five percent of the BHB fee increase accounted for rising health care costs while another one percent of the fee hike was allotted to upgrading the current facility and the remaining one percent was for support new staffing and services provided.

Mr. Roban added: "The percentage for the new hospital build was not a new and separate charge; it was already contained within the 6.95 percent."

"It is important for the public to know the facts so that whatever the increase placed on the community by insurers, the public will be able to compare that to the increases being imposed by the Government," he said.

The Minister also noted the change in how the Bermuda Hospitals Board bills for services.

"This is a rebalancing of the way hospital services are paid. In the former model, the Government paid the lion's share of costs. The new charge system implemented at the Bermuda Hospitals Board now sees the costs fairly shared between Government and the insurers.

"It may represent an additional cost to the insurer, but it does not represent an increased cost to the system."