Today there are no conditions for a competitive market in the industry of the Isapres and neither will be achieved with the reform, which the Government announced. The Minister of health, Emilio Santelices, decreed that “there will be greater competition, transparency and efficiency”, without further explanation, as if to say it was succeeded in these conditions.
The project, supposedly-mimics competition regulated between insurance, experienced the first worldwide Holland since 2006. The minimum floor to work includes copulativamente a comprehensive plan, a rate flat, networks of large providers, compulsory affiliation and inclusion of all insurances in the scheme.
For a competitive market, these are the rules of the game, without exclusions. The most amazing thing, is that this reform bill fails in all, and us lies, as explained below:
Lie No. 1: The plan is not included in the law, only outlined their broad categories. It delegates this task to a technical Council which has little regulation of conflicts of interest and transparency. A comprehensive plan is not secured.
Lie No. 2: No rate will be flat, an attenuation of differences is promised. They say ending the difference by sex. A blatant lie. Article 156 of the Act subsection j) concerning the ‘compensation groups”reads”should consider, at least, the age, sex and health condition”. Even more, adding “health status”, includes a new parameter of discrimination, which rise the price people who mean you higher cost to insurers. Far from flat rate, it institutionalizes and validates discrimination.
Lie No. 3: Surrenders to the Isapres option dimension their networks of providers to deliver the Universal Plan, without setting minimum. Simply define providers or clinics “little interest” of members, to keep the entire system running without transparency with complementary plans now.
Lie No. 4: It is said that the pre-existing structures were eliminated, but this only camouflaged with a lack. This is the “new insured Plan” for those who do not come from another Isapre, shielding them sick or higher expenses income during the first two years of membership. Therefore, not it undertakes to Isapres to deliver the Universal Plan to any interested party willing to pay the premium, which is impossible to achieve competition.
Lie No. 5: all insurances are not included in the scheme, you are excluded to the greatest of all, who now concentrates almost 80% of the national population, Fonasa. Any possible competitive pressure, has its exhaust valve, raising premiums to higher-risk, displacing these users of high cost Fonasa, subsidizing the Isapre system, and again cancelling the competition.
This is not all, they are added reasons to raise prices to persons, separate collection for medical licenses from the collection of the plan and the Isapre ignores little solidarity, so users must pay for it. Without even going into the problems that a reform of this kind implies, from the health point of view, the harmful consequences for the Fonasa or macro-eficiencia, we have before us a scandalous reform, which puts at risk the health of the population and even in compliance with the precepts of the free market that claim to defend their drivers. It crystallizes a health system for healthy, and another for patients. Full of lies, the Government should give at least some modesty offer this country, and should as soon as possible withdraw Bill.
Poured in this op-ed content is the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial line nor the counter position.
