Andeclip and HMOs can't agree

[NewsWhore]

The Private Clinics Association (Andeclip) and the Health Management Providers (HMOs) just can't seem to reach an agreement. The clinic owners rejected the HMO request to eliminate deductions on invoices until the National Council of Social Security readjusts the official rates. Andeclip president Rafael Mena said that he did not know anything about this agreement and the clinics and health centers that he represents have nothing to do with any adjustments in payment schedules. With this in mind, he said that independently of whether or not an adjustment is made, these deductions have to go. He added that if the invoices were not paid in full the association would cease services to the two HMOs that have not adjusted their pay schedules. Mena said that "the clinics are in agreement that the per capita fees paid to the HMOs should be increased, but one thing does not have anything to do with the other." Mena said that the deductions made by the HMOs have pushed some clinics to the brink of bankruptcy. Part of the problem stems from the fact that late last year the clinics and the HMOs signed an agreement aimed at eliminating these deductions. However, there was a clause in the agreement that said that as of 15 May 2009 the practice of making the deductions would cease but before this date the health authorities should have readjusted the HMOs' per capita fees. To date, 15 of the 17 HMOs have ceased the practice. Although an article in El Caribe does not name the two that haven't, the only HMO representatives at the meeting yesterday that were mentioned were from ARS Humana and ARS Universal, the two largest companies.

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