President Luis Abinader has ordered the National Health Insurance Council (Senasa) to immediately establish a five-member Technical Commission aimed at strengthening supervision, control, and risk management within the institution.
This move is a direct response to recent irregularities and seeks to significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Senasa’s operations.
The President has swiftly designated the members of the new oversight body. President Abinader designated Arismendi Diaz Santana, as the coordinator. Other members are: Pedro Ramírez Slaibe, Federico Lalane José, judge Alexis Read (pending the conclusion of his duties at the Supreme Court of Justice), and Nora Elizabeth Sánchez Padilla.
The head of state instructed the Minister of Public Health, Víctor Atallah, who chairs the Senasa Council, to call an urgent meeting to propose these regulatory changes. These immediate modifications are being implemented while the comprehensive amendment process for Law No. 87-01 remains underway.
The Executive Branch acknowledged that neither the current law nor its regulations provide the detailed tools necessary to ensure optimal functioning and consistent accountability at Senasa.
The Technical Commission’s primary function will be the power to review and grant a “no objection” to any proposed contract exceeding five million Dominican pesos (RD$5,000,000.00) per month. This threshold will be subject to annual indexation.
This measure will apply to all administrative or health service provision contracts that could have a financial impact on Senasa. The commission is designed to complement the Council’s activities, providing continuous supervision over key financial and administrative aspects.
The Commission will also have broad investigatory powers, including the authority to gather information, analyze, monitor, and periodically report to the Council members on:
• Financial transactions and operations.
• Service contracts executed by the Executive Directorate.
• Authorizations granted under the contributory and subsidized financing regimes.
• Compliance with financial commitments for medical authorizations and member reimbursements.
• Bank availability, balances, and investments.
• Compliance with the registration of contracts in the Comptroller General’s system.
Finally, the presidential directive mandates that the revised regulations must stipulate the publishing online of all Council minutes and resolutions. Furthermore, all purchasing and contracting operations must adhere to the principles outlined in the current public procurement law. Senasa under former director Santiago Hazim was marked by lack of transparency.
The action is taken as the Senasa health scandal has caused major indignation among the population. Now that the prosecution has produced a preliminary file with the first investigations into the major irregularities at the government health insurance company, medical societies and other entities have come forth to share details of the yet to be proven in court fraudulent operations.
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