The Additional Payments Made In Cash Will Injure The Patients’ Interests, Warns The Voluntary Health Insurance Companies’ Association
Voluntary Health Insurance Companies’ Association (VHCICA) and Ministry of Health representatives will discuss major health care issues on June 12th, said the métier structure chairwoman, Dr Mimi Vitkova, for INSURANCE.BG. The association representatives took part in the Fifth “Insurance Issues” National Conference, which took place in Svishtov. The four health care topics were dedicated to the problems and perspectives of the health insurance model in Bulgaria; voluntary health insurance legislation and practices and subscriptional health services. One of the issues discussed was the health insurance companies risk management, as well as manpower policy and other health care features. The academic society supported the health insurance métier on solving the long- lasting problems, said Dr Vitkova. VHCICA presented its standpoint before the minister of health care and the Parliamentary Health Care Committee chairman. The papers read that although the association was promised to participate in the National Health Care Strategy 2007- 2012 preparation it has actually not taken part. Attention is drawn to the most important points; the association representatives deny that the greatest issues of the voluntary health insurance are meeting license requirements and the patients’ not being aware what are they supposed to pay when provided medical services. The licensed health insurance companies have met all Financial Control Board requirements and no violаtions have been detected. All insured individuals are given a list of medical services they have paid for and terms of attendance. The absence of unified health care nomenclature and cash payments (for additional services and items) control, say VHCICA representatives. Thus the health insurance companies have trouble determining the range and price of their medical services packets.Strategy objective #8 - the one concerning the heath care financial stability - reads that it is expected to be stimulated by the health insurance companies development and additional payments. The same papers make it clear what the additional payments can be. The statement, however, does not say who is expected to receive these payments, only the hospital or all health care units. Association representatives find all statement vague and uncertain. Partly professional joint health care schemes are supposed to come into being, as well as an employer insurance/ specific health risks scheme. It is by no means clear how these schemes are going to function, via a new type of health insurance companies or via the already existing ones. The statements read that every employer is to make additional medical payments on behalf of its employees, which does not correspond to the employer insurance terms. The municipalities and the ministry being included in the additional payments programme makes no sense since they are supposed to finance the treatment of certain diseases, say VHCICA representatives.
The voluntary health care companies development scheme is obscure and by no means the most useful and the companies themselves have suggestions of their own:
- the National Health Care Fund ceasing to be а monopolist
- individuals choose their health insurance companies, which are to make justice to the customers’ desired medical services
- determining the main medical services packet and its price
- voluntary health insurance is to include services different from the main
- major contract amendments regarding the principles of Ministry of Health agreements and insurance norms
- encouraging the competition as far as prices are concerned
The National Health Care Strategy does not suggest any way of fighting corruption, according to the health insurance companies. The additional payments pattern is to injure the patients’ interest most. The National Health Care Fund is the only control body and it monitors just its payments. The insurance pattern suggests the existence of an Insurer institution (no matter if it is public or private) as to make patient cash payments off and to correct the health care market defects. Health Insurance Companies insist on a debate discussing the health care model suggested.
