The Superintendent of Labor Risks and Health (Sisalril) met on Wednesday, 15 February 2017, with the government mediating talks between representatives of the Dominican Medical Association and the Council of the Society of Medical Specialists and local Health Risk Administrators (ARS), the Dominican version of HMOs. During the meeting a working agenda was proposed and accepted.
Discussions included topics such as payment reductions to Health Service Providers (ARS) and the refusal of assigning codes to young medical specialists, better regulation of contracts between the health providers and doctors and an update to the basic health plan. The doctors also want their fees to be increased. These fees have been stagnant for 10 years.
The representatives of the doctors expressed their appreciation for the interest of Sisalril to mediate and contribute to finding solutions and requested faster action and results in the short-term.
Sisalril said it would invite the Dominican Association of Health Service Providers (ADARS) that represents the ARS to hear their point of view. Superintendent Pedro Luis Castellanos said the government assigns top priority to the Dominican social security system that is based on strategic alliances between the public and private sector.
16 February 2017
