What increase is being prepared in prepaid plans in February?

Prepaid pharmaceutical companies such as Swiss Medical, Omint, Medicus and OSDE, whose January hike was nearly 40%, anticipate that fees will rise. 21% and 28% in FebruaryAccording to the Argentine Health Union (UAS). The situation becomes more complex amid announcements of co-payments by providers and judicial injunctions.

For example, OSDE has already confirmed to its partners that there will be an increase next month. 28%.

With these increases comes the possibility that different providers may charge co-payment fees. For example, the Biochemist Federation of the Province of Buenos Aires (FABA) indicated that biochemists “will begin to charge additional compensatory bonuses from prepaid members who have not updated their tariffs with the sector, so as not to leave caring for patients and be able to meet the expenses from the profits.” The additional amount will be $5,000 and will affect 1 million residents of Buenos Aires. The companies involved include Avalion, Amfa, Escribanos, Osmecon, Louis Pasteur, Swiss Medical, Prevenación Salud, Galeno, Federada 25 de Junio, Osdepim and Uno Salud.

The president of said entity, Claudio Cova, assured that during 2023 “according to the joint report of April-December, the salaries of employees of laboratories grouped under the Union of Health Personnel were increased by 137%; Inputs and reagents increased by an average of 360%, rents by 200% and inter-annual CPI reached 211.4%.

He said, “In the same period, prepaid pharmaceutical companies gave biochemical providers in Buenos Aires province a tariff increase of 131%, an amount clearly insufficient to cover the service we provide to their beneficiaries. “

In this context, Martina Isabel Fornes, the Federal Judge in charge of the Federal Civil, Commercial and Administrative Litigation Court No. 2 of San Martín, issued a precautionary measure against the growth of the Italian Benevolent Society in Buenos Aires to a retired person who submitted an appeal. For protection.

The 78-year-old woman alleged that the fees she was paying as per the December 2023 bill were the first to be increased. 40% for the month of January 2024, then he received another communication from the respondent with a new increase of 29.5% for the month of February of the current year and as per the attached records, the amount of his pension benefit for the period 12/23. $323,089.39This is why it is impossible for him to afford the said payment.

For his part, the judge assessed the risk that “she may lack necessary medical coverage due to her age, according to the complaint and given that she receives a pension amount of $323,089.39, according to case records.” The increase will cost you about half of your property.

Although the decision applies only to his case, it sets an example for others.

Whereas the UAS, which brings together most of the private pharmaceutical companies, predicts a possible loss of 5% of members due to the increase; To avoid this situationboreal healthwhich has more than 250,000 members in the interior of the country, decided to update its dues based on the average taxable remuneration of stationary workers (RIPTE).

From Prepaid, which has presence in the Central, Cuyo, North-West and Coastal regions of the country; they point towards Excessive growth due to mass migration of associates could saturate the public health system and there is a risk that few prepaid companies will continue to operate. Because only a few associates are in a position to continue paying these fees. They assure that this will affect the employment status of thousands of health professionals.

As an alternative to controlling prices, and bearing in mind that 99% of its members are workers, Boreal Salud opted to be governed by RIPTE to implement its increases, which are updated every 45 days. Is. Based on this indicator, the company will raise prices for January and February.

While waiting for the December figures, it is worth remembering that RIPTE recorded an average increase in salaries in November 6.3%to reach $447,079.57, And 11.7% in October, average $420,706.55.

“This decision aims to balance the continuity of quality healthcare services with the protection of the financial well-being of its users,” he said in a statement.

“We live, depend, work and grow on the basis of the internal market and the internal market for us is the registered employees and they are feeling the impact of the increase in prices, which is the only thing that is issued was, but salaries were not adjusted.” Express mario coltanPresident of Boreal Salud.

“We are concerned that there is no ability to provide services with the quality we aim for. We are not willing to lose 30% or 40% of the portfolio, We understand that these are different realities and that in the interior of the country, the average salary for workers is between $400,000 and $410,000. We have to work on that and guarantee health services,” Colton said.

At the same time, he also highlighted that some cost increases cannot be transferred mechanically, as is the case with medicines, which, according to the Argentine Confederation of Pharmacists (COFA), from November 10 to December 27 It has increased by 130%.

In this sense, Colton assured that the adjustment of disposable drugs and prostheses is well above the two previous devaluations, both 22% in August and 118% in December.

“In 2017-2018, medicines and prostheses represented between 18 and 20% of total health expenditure, today they already exceed 40%. “With this, the concept of solidarity of social security in Argentina is broken because 100 of our 250,000 associates bear the bulk of the expenses,” the manager said. infobae,