A report in the Listín Diario indicates that the Instituto Dominicano de Seguros Sociales (IDSS) has an excess of 1,940 physicians on their payroll. International indicators call for eight physicians per 10,000 insured persons. A recent study carried out by the Unidad de Modernización y Desarrollo Institutional, the IDSS unit that seeks to modernize the institution, revealed that the 2,440 physicians on the payroll cost the state RD$22 million a month, or 22% of the total receipts. The IDSS has 518,000 affiliates. The study revealed that the physicians offer an average of one consultation every two hours. International standards are that there be 12-16 consultations per four hours. The IDSS is in the limelight because government and labor sectors are interested in expanding the coverage to include all family members and pensions. At present, most companies see the moneys paid to the IDSS as just another government tax, and expect very little in services for the personnel from the organization. A large number of companies offer their employees separate medical coverage. Likewise, several private companies have been offering pension plans, that given the track record of state institutions, that are more attractive to employees.
