The Dominican Medical Association (AMD) and the Association of Private Clinics (ANDECLIP) began today the first of a planned series of 24-hour stoppages of work at private clinics throughout the country. This first strike is taking place in the eastern provinces. News reports say it can affect over 200,000 Dominicans that hold private insurance plans. The clinics and physicians are working as usual, but patients on medical insurance plans will have to pay their full fees. The physicians will attend emergency and very critical patients on insurance plans. The strike affects the provinces of Barahona, San Juan de la Maguana, Azua, Baní and San Cristóbal. With the protest, the ANDECLIP and AMD seek to pressure insurance companies into making payments on time for services rendered, and increasing the amount paid the physicians for their services. The clinics and physicians feel the insurance clinics are making a profit of 50%. The private clinics say that doctors and clinics are free to not accept their contracts. They have also counter threatened to end contracts with the clinics, citing the strike would be a violation of the contract signed.
