CINICO clients to get cards for instant service

(CNS): The government’s health insurance company will be giving its clients cards that will offer instant verification when they attend as patients at home or abroad. Officials said that the new instant insurance verification system, called CarePay will allow for simpler, more efficient, secure access to health care and streamline the payment process for treatment at the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority (HSA). The CarePay Card can be used globally for any medical or dental service with a Chief Medical Officer (CMO) or Chief Dental Officer (CDO) Pre-authorized Referral.

The new CarePay card used with valid personal ID will be the only one CINICO members need to access health care services and will become operational in October. Every CINICO member will be issued a new CarePay card which will contain information that will be used to verify coverage and benefits to the health provider. To receive a card members need to complete a simple registration form, which will be distributed within the next few days, and return the completed form to CINICO.

“It is extremely important that CINICO members complete and return the forms to ensure they get their new CarePay card before the end of September” said CINICO Chief Executive Officer Lonny Tibbetts. “The new CarePay card will replace the current CINICO card, which will no longer be accepted by health care providers after September 30. The new CarePay card will streamline the process of health care delivery, not only for patients, but is also much more cost effective for health care providers and insurance companies.”

Lizzette Yearwood, Chief Executive Officer of the HSA, explained that CarePay will validate coverage and guarantee payment for medical services at the hospital and clinics, allowing the HSA to increase revenue and reduce expenses.  About 90% of the authority’s budget comes from CINICO and private insurance companies that require claims processing. Each year, the HSA processes about 400,000 claims.

“The CarePay card will make the entire bill-paying process much more user-friendly.  Patients will find that the system is very simple to use and will help to quickly clarify insurance coverage.  We hope that this will be a model that other insurance companies will be able to adopt in the future so that all insured patients can benefit from this much simpler process,” Yearwood added. 

Forms will be delivered to government employees through their relevant departments and those working in statutory authorities will receive them from their Head Offices. CINICO said that forms for seafarers and veterans will be available through their association offices, civil service pensioners will be receiving their forms through the mail, while children & family services will give the forms to their clients. Standard Health Insurance Contract (SHIC) plan holders (Affordable, Challenger & Silver) will receive their forms in the mail or they can collect a form from the CINICO office on Grand Cayman or at the Government Administration Building on Cayman Brac.

For more information on CINICO or CarePay, please visit the CINICO website at www.cinico.ky or call the CINICO offices 949-8101