On July 12, 2021 the owner of a business was fined for offenses under the Health Insurance Act.
Marcelo Franca t/a Caytech Business was fined $4,800.00 or 4 months imprisonment for the failure to effect and continue health insurance on behalf of his employee, Anthony Roque.
Mr. Franca pleaded guilty on June 22, 2021, and sentencing was adjourned until July 12, 2021.
Mr. Roque had worked with Caytech since 2017 and they did not affect health insurance cover for him. In 2019 after Mr. Roque was no longer employed at Caytech, he complained to the Health Insurance Commission (HIC) that he believed that the premiums for his health insurance cover had not been paid by his former employer.
The HIC investigated the matter. Mr. Franca was unable to provide and information that he did have health insurance for his company or proof of health insurance cover for Mr. Roque while he was employed. Mr. Franca did provide health insurance for his business effective October 1, 2020 after Mr. Roque was no longer employed.
In court, Mr. Franca was represented by attorney Ms. Sheridan Brooks but no defense was made to the charges. Magistrate Angella Hernandez advised that the Health Insurance Act provides for a maximum penalty of a fine of up to $30,000.00. However she considered the amount that would have been paid in premiums for the period of Mr. Roque’s employment.On that basis, the Magistrate imposed a fine of $4,800.00 for the offence.
In 2012 Mr. Franca had also pleaded guilty for failing to effect and continue health insurance contract on behalf of another employee. For that offence Mr. Franca was fined $3,500 or 6 months imprisonment.
Starting next year, employers will have to include a certificate of compliance for health insurance when applying for or renewing work permits, including any temporary permits lasting longer than 30 days.
17th January 2017, 1:05pm
Cabinet announced Thursday that it would not increase the minimum fees that health insurance companies pay for procedures after fewer than 10 doctors responded to government requests for financial information. 17th January 2017, 1:01pm
After hearing the circumstances of an employer’s failure to maintain health insurance for two employees, Magistrate Philippa McFarlane said she was going to take the exceptional course of ordering no conviction to be entered against his name. 21st May 2015, 2:10pm
Leroy Mitchell Jr., who with his wife owned and operated Candles Unlimited, was fined $1,000 for unlawful deductions from an employee’s pay and failure to effect and continue health insurance coverage. 21st April 2015, 2:43pm
Caytech Electronics and its owner, Marcelo Franca, were fined $8,500 last week for failure to effect and continue a standard health insurance contract as required by the Health Insurance Law. 23rd March 2015, 11:30am
On 28 January 2015, the court fined local construction company owner Wendel Wendel CI$1,500.00 for failing to pay health insurance fees for himself and one of his employees in 2013. 26th February 2015, 2:00pm
Cayman Islands residents on the standard healthcare plan can expect premiums to go up by at least 50 per cent over the next year. 26th March 2013, 2:33pm
