The National Council of Business (CONEP) is strongly opposed to the passing of the Social Security Bill with recent modifications. Celso Marranzini explained that all sectors had reached a consensus on 26 January, but once the bill was to be passed by Congress it met with opposition from the Dominican Medical Association. The representatives of the Dominican Medical Association broke a door at Congress to force their being heard. Marranzini complained that what has resulted from the talks between the AMD and congressmen is a "collective pact." Marranzini said that the bill grants excessive benefits to the medical union physicians, in contradiction with the Constitution that establishes equality for all Dominicans. Marranzini alerted that to pass the bill with modifications would be a blow to the health services in the DR. The physicians negotiated new salary increases and other privileges that Marranzini feels will make health services too costly for private business to be able to sustain. The bill had established that business would pay 70%, and employees 30% of health costs. He said that the business sector opposes the passing of the bill and will use the full force of its membership. "If Congress thinks that the only ones that can rouse to revolt are the doctors, they are very wrong, because the doctors may topple doors but we pay, and when I say we pay I am including all the employees in the DR," Marranzini said speaking at a press conference.
