Dr. Juan Ubaldo Sosa Almonte, a physician and lawyer, criticized the practice of requiring medical deposits before patients receive care during the launch of his book Blindaje Médico Legal: Práctico para la Prevención y Gestión del Riesgo Médico Legal. Speaking to the press, Sosa Almonte called the requirement “abuso” and argued that health facilities should prioritize patient care over administrative payment procedures. Sosa Almonte supported measures proposed by the Dirección General de Información y Defensa de los Afiliados a la Seguridad Social (DIDA) to cap patient copayments at RD$1,500. “I favor all decisions and measures that tend to favor the patient,” he said. He praised DIDA’s role in defending affiliates’ rights, adding, “I think DIDA is doing a good job because that is its purpose.” The doctor questioned whether the practice of demanding upfront payments could become a condition for receiving medical assistance. He said the debate over sanctions for institutions that require deposits should have been part of discussions on the Dominican Penal Code. “In the process of discussing the Dominican Penal Code, no sector of Dominican society raised the issue of requiring the Chamber to approve sanctions for institutions that demand deposits for medical assistance,” he noted. Sosa Almonte described the requirement as “criminal, anti-constitutional, anti-ethical, anti-human.” He emphasized that medical care must be provided to anyone who needs it, regardless of payment status. “Medical attention must be given, yes or no, to whoever needs it,” he said. He also defended physicians who are often employees of private clinics and hospitals, arguing that they are not responsible for administrative decisions about billing. “The doctors are employees of those health consortia, clinics, hospitals that demand this,” he explained. He urged the public to distinguish between the responsibilities of doctors and those of the owners or administrators of health centers. “The doctor per se is not to blame for that situation; it is the owners of those health centers,” he said. Sosa Almonte reiterated his support for DIDA’s proposals to limit copayments and to improve health conditions for the population. He stressed that administrative practices should not prevent a person from receiving necessary medical assistance.
Article source: De Ultimo Minuto | Image credit: De Ultimo Minuto