National Health Insurance goes fully national in 2025 with $50 Million Government investment

Published by [email protected] at May 12, 2025

Posted: Monday, May 12, 2025. 7:25 pm CST.

By Breaking Belize News Staff: After more than two decades in the making, Belize’s National Health Insurance (NHI) program is now a truly national system, with full coverage being extended to the Cayo District in this year’s annual budget—the final major region previously excluded. Government is allocating $50 Million of the 2025-2026 Budget toward the expansion of NHI and a rollout finally coming to Western Belize.

This expansion brings comprehensive, publicly funded primary healthcare to over 93,000 additional Belizeans, especially in key population centers like Belmopan, San Ignacio/Santa Elena, and Benque Viejo del Carmen, Prime Minister John Briceño announced on Monday during his Budget presentation.

Prime Minister John Briceño hailed the move as “quintessential PUP,” describing the program as the embodiment of the party’s vision of universal, equitable access to healthcare. “This is social justice in action,” Briceño said. “Health care is a right, not a privilege.”

The expanded NHI system will operate through eight primary care providers and seven satellite clinics, delivering services valued at $80 million annually. The program’s model—where the Ministry of Health regulates, the Social Security Board’s NHI Committee purchases, and a mix of public and private providers deliver services—has been praised as a balanced and efficient public health solution.

The rollout includes enhanced diagnostic capabilities, infrastructure upgrades, and new health personnel training. With the groundwork laid for high-quality care, Briceño promised deeper investments in treatment capacity. The NHI is expected to significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs, improve early disease detection, and lessen pressure on hospital emergency services.

The expansion completes a transformation that began in the early 2000s, with pilot projects on Belize City’s Southside and gradual rollouts to the southern and northern districts. “Now, every Belizean has access to quality care close to home,” Briceño affirmed.

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