Individual Health Insurance Plans to Be Available in USVI as Early as April, Lt. Governor Says

  • Ernice Gilbert
  • March 21, 2023
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Individual health insurance is coming to the U.S. Virgin Islands as early as April, said Lieutenant Governor Tregenza Roach, a key priority of Mr. Roach's office that he says has been long in the making.

The lieutenant governor first revealed the development during the JFL North facility's grand opening and ribbon-cutting event on March 7 as part of his speech. At the time, he said individual health insurance options would "soon" be available. 

On Friday, however, he divulged to the Consortium that the options will be provided as early as April. "I think when we announce it [individual health insurance plans] in April it will be available because we would have reviewed everything," Mr. Roach said, suggesting that the due diligence process is nearing completion.

"We've already licensed them, but we have to make sure that all of the business documents, all of the issues of where people call — all of that kind of stuff is done," he said. The lieutenant governor withheld the name of the insurance provider his office is working with to provide the much-needed service, stating that a press conference will be held in April where the media will ask the provider and his office questions.

Affordable individual health insurance is one of the most desired services in the U.S. Virgin Islands, as many individuals and small businesses have tried without success to get coverage as current costs are exorbitant. The Office of the Lieutenant Governor has been working at least since 2022 on the effort.

"We're in the process of actually reviewing their application, and one of the conversations was the price point — you don't want to bring a product that nobody can afford. But we're hoping to be able to speak to that," the lieutenant governor said during an interview in July with the Consortium, seen in full here.

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