fp Turks and Caicos

For employers, submitting National Health Insurance Plan payments is about to get a whole lot easier.

The National Health Insurance Board has launched a new web-based service where businesses can submit their contributions directly, with more options for making it faster and easier for an employer to get their information and payments to NHIP.

But the benefits don’t end there. NHIB CEO Brian Hogan tells the fp this is only the beginning of a new way for companies to operate in the TCI.

Launching this month, Employer E-Services is an online website where employers can electronically submit their employees’ compensation information, and contributions will be automatically calculated.

“Companies using payroll systems can now upload their payroll information directly from their payroll system to the website, and the system will translate the information into a format required for the NHIP calculations,” Hogan explained. “In seconds a payment amount will be calculated, and with one click an employer can be connected to their online banking system to make a direct payment.”

This is a much more efficient system over the Excel spreadsheets that companies currently use to submit their contributions, Hogan says. “It eliminates double entry and will be a significant time-saver for all companies.”

Another benefit to the E-services website is the option to add or remove employees at the click of a button. Hogan says this offers a benefit to both the employer and the employee who can now be better tracked and less likely to fall through the cracks.

“We don’t want anyone to show up at the hospital and have treatment delayed because their paperwork was not completed,” he said.

Another benefit of the system is the event calendar and possibility for NHIP to send announcements, such as changes or payment notices. “Companies can put in their own notes or reminders on the calendar, and we are able to send them notices as well,” Hogan said.

The encrypted site was developed in-house over a six-month period by NHIB, and Hogan assures that it adopts all security protocols and is password protected. Companies must register to use the services, which is a simple process that only takes a matter of minutes. “We are encouraging all employers to sign-up and use the service,” he said.

Hogan says using the site for NHIP is only the beginning, as they have plans to expand the service to be a community B2B (Business to Business) platform in the country. The site was designed to allow government  agencies and private companies to utilize the system.

“Hopefully, businesses will be able to renew licenses, make other government contributions or do businesses with other companies through the site,” he noted. “This is the start of making it a lot easier to interact with other organizations or companies.”

About 150 companies have signed up so far for the e-services, and as more and more companies sign up, Hogan says the possibilities for its use will grow.

You can sign up at www.employereservices.tc. For more information, contact NHIP at 941 8861.