Government increases medical coverage for catastrophic illnesses
President Luis Abinader announced that the coverage of medical expenses in catastrophic illnesses for members of the National Health Insurance (Senasa) will be increased from one to two million pesos for each event covered in the Basic Health Plan (PDSS) in the schemes both subsidized and contributory.
The measure will benefit more than seven million affiliates in their respective schemes in the Dominican social security system.
“Health is a human right of all people, not a privilege for those who can afford it, and that is why we act every day seeking to improve this health service. We are going to have greater coverage and that is going to give greater benefit to the health, obviously that is the case, but it will also give tranquility and peace to millions of families in the Dominican Republic who constantly came to us with requests that they could no longer pay more than one million pesos, which was the limit and now, Well, we doubled that amount for the good of all,” argued the president when expressing the central words of the act.
Abinader also emphasized that the government is committed to health care as the basis of a solid health system and universal coverage.
“The promise we made to the Dominican people commits us to put people at the center of health care, not diseases or conditions,” added the leader of the Executive Branch.
For his part, the executive director of the National Health Insurance, Dr. Santiago Hazim, explained that the catastrophic illnesses covered in the Basic Health Plan cost Senasa more than 11 billion pesos annually with coverage of up to one million pesos.
“For many affiliates this means the interruption of their treatments or a high economic burden that destroys the family patrimony. Many cancer treatment schemes represent between 150,000 and 280,000 pesos per session, with between 9 and 13 sessions, ”explained Dr. Hazim during his presentation.
During the activity, the authorities recalled that at the end of 2020 the Government managed to enroll two million more people in Senasa, and that now, the beneficiaries amount to 7 million Dominicans throughout the country.
The Head of State stated that the government is committed to building sustainable primary care, with services that meet the needs of people throughout their lives.
“This is a policy that says that the State belongs to everyone and protects everyone. A policy that tells the world that in the Dominican Republic there will no longer be first-class and second-class citizens,” said the president.