In an interview with Diario Libre, the president of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD), Dr. Senen Caba has been emphatic. “There should not be any ARS,” he said. The ARSs are the health insurance companies, the intermediaries with physicians.
Major financial entities own most ARSs and AFPs in the Dominican Republic. Their operation has been highly profitable since day one for the ARS. But for Dominicans, access to medical services has not improved and what health insurance cover is relatively low. Dominicans today need to make extra payments to medical providers for services. Physicians also complain about the low payments they receive for their services.
Pension plans for the general public in the Dominican Republic are managed by the Pension Fund Management companies (AFPs). These companies report very high yields, while pensions are well below what the person made when working.
The CMD is organizing a national march against the ARSs and AFPs for Wednesday, 7 September 2022. The physician march is from the CMD headquarters in the Zona Universitaria at 10am on to the offices of the National Council of Social Security (CNSS) at Av. Tiradentes in Naco.
Dr. Caba insisted that health is a right. The CMD wants the social security law to be amended so Dominicans receive fair pensions. Legislators that pass the AFP and ARS bills, nevertheless, have their own privileged health and pension plans.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
Noticias SIN
7 September 2022