New move by the Government in the middle of the war with insurers over Muface. The Executive is thinking of eliminating the possibility that officials can choose annually between private and public assistance and forcing the choice to be made only once and at the time they access the position. A twist that would mean that people who agree to be cared for by insurance companies can never be cared for by the public.
According to what sources from the Ministry of Public Administration have informed EFE,within the framework of the new conditions under which they work to re-tender the Muface contract “The voluntariness of the model could be addressed, which would mean that public employees now covered by mutualism can choose to be in the common or special regime, once and for all.”
This is yet another hardening of the Government after receiving the refusal of the insurers to renew the mutual agreement, which expires on December 31. And it is not the first, the two parties that form the Government, PSOE and Sumar, have also proposed eliminating the exemption from the IPS tax for insurers, which is 8% of the current value of private health insurance.
All this must be added to the fact that the new mutualists “are increasingly inclined” to turn to public health.makes the Executive consider that “it is time to open a reflection on the mutualism model”, which is based on three principles: transparency, equity and sustainability. Meanwhile, Muface beneficiaries have guaranteed health care until January 31, so there is enough time to launch the second tender, adds the Ministry.
In any case, remember, in the Public Sector Contracts Law there are mechanisms that guarantee assistance under the same conditions until the expired contract is replaced by another. To support this reflection process, they add, it will be important to know the conclusions of the next AIReF report.
What will happen to Muface?
After the unanimous decision of the three insurers to abandon the Muface health service, unexplored terrain opens up. According to current legislation, and from a legal interpretation, two scenarios can be opened from this moment on.
On the one hand, there is the possibility that the Government chooses to urge a forced extension of the Muface model.. This would last about nine months, according to sources consulted, and would require the service to be provided to the million and a half officials who wanted to continue under the umbrella of mutualism.
On the other hand, There is also the possibility that the Executive decides to rethink its offer and go to a new negotiation.. In this case, a process similar to the one that has been experienced in recent months would be opened, although, yes, the deadlines would be more pressing if possible. In this case, the Government and the companies could count on a referee who did not arrive on time for this match: the Airef. The tax authority commissioned an economic report on the mutualism that has not yet been completed but is expected within a few days, according to the contracting documents.
Yet, The Ministry of Digital Transformation, the department on which mutualism depends, assures that it plans to launch a new tender for Muface healthcare after the companies’ refusal. “Once the tender has been voided, work will begin for a new tender,” the Ministry says in a statement.
Besides, The Government has assured that all mutual members will continue to receive health care under current conditions, with extensions and mechanisms “provided for in the Public Sector Contracts Law”, as detailed by the Ministry. That is, the Executive has in mind to use the two tools written above to assist officials over a period of time.
#Government #eliminate #possibility #changing #Muface #public #system
