In a move to make premium healthcare more affordable, the Barbados Public Workers Cooperative Credit Union Limited (BPWCCUL) has announced a strategic partnership with Bayview Hospital.
The initiative aims to reduce the financial burden of medical expenses for Barbadians, many of whom struggle to afford necessary procedures.
The credit union will facilitate payment for healthcare services offered by Bayview through its loan programs. Current and potential members who qualify under the personal loan category will receive discounts on services.
During a brief signing ceremony held at BPWCCUL headquarters on Thursday, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer, Gail Best-Niles, underscored the pressing need for this partnership. She noted that a significant portion of personal loans granted by the credit union were for medical expenses.
“What we have found in terms of looking for personal loans, that more than 50 per cent were for medical procedures. It’s an unfortunate case where a lot of Barbadians don’t have medical health insurance; that’s another thing that we are going to reach out to our members about,” she said.
Best-Niles added, “As much as we have tried to educate people about the benefits of having a health insurance plan, a lot of people still do not. So with 50 per cent of personal loans coming for health related issues, we recognise that members are finding the healthcare in Barbados to be a bit burdensome.” (SB)
