In the midst of the alert from the unions for a possible reform of the health system, the Government once again granted financial aid to social works

The Government once again financially assisted social works to mitigate the economic crisis that deepened the pandemic

Once again, the National Government once again granted financial aid to social works by decree to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis that deepened the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020. This new assistance is given while the CGT is in state of alert before the versions about a reform of the health system promoted by Kirchnerism.

Through the Resolution 163/2021, published this Friday in the Official bulletin, the Superintendency of Health Services granted “Exceptional financial support for Health Insurance Agents who have suffered a drop in collection during the month of December 2020, compared to March 2020.” As in previous opportunities, the objective is “to guarantee the adequate functioning of health services during the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as payment in a timely manner to providers, essential for the continuity of care for The beneficiaries”.

In the recitals, the Government justified that as a result of the isolation and distancing measures “there was a limitation in the movement of people, with the consequent impact on the economy, affecting companies, independent activities and employment.” In this framework, the decrease in production “is also reflected in tax collection, and consequently, in the resources allocated to Health Agents.”

“The described situation threatens the payment chain of the Health System, at a time when this sector is key to minimizing the impacts of the pandemic and providing due attention to its beneficiaries, “added the official text. For this reason, the Executive Branch continues to provide financial assistance to social works with an eye toward “Guarantee the adequate service of sanatoriums, clinics and other health providers”.

He Ministry of Health will once again allocate resources to the Health Insurance Agents that allow “to compensate for the decrease in the collection of their usual resources as a result of the health emergency,” the resolution maintains.

In its article 2, the rule establishes that the amount of financial support for each Agent will be the result of the difference between the sum of resources received for contributions and contributions during March 2020 and the collection received during the last month. As specified by the Government, the total difference between all social works exceeds 220 million pesos.

Alberto Fernández and the CGT, in their last meeting in Olivos

As in the course of 2020, the money will come from an Emergency and Assistance Fund created in 2016, destined to the Financial Assistance Program for Institutional Strengthening and Improvement of the Benefit Quality of Social Security Agents.

This fund was created at the request of the CGT to finance “assistance in cases of epidemics or emergencies “, prevention programs approved by the authorities, the acquisition of technological equipment and own effectors (such as clinics and sanatoriums) and projects for the institutional strengthening of social works. The money that the Government originally allocated for this purpose, around 4,500 million pesos, was growing for financial interests and a part of it is now used for an epidemic case, as it was conceived. This time, the amount to be covered is $ 227,705,825.

The Superintendency of Health Services, headed by Eugenio Zanarini, advanced with this resolution while the CGT continues to be alert to the versions that the State could appropriate the funds from social works.

The fear of the labor union arose after an act that Cristina Kirchner starred in in La Plata on December 18. There the vice president stated that “We have to go to an integrated national health system between public, private and social works that optimizes resources”. Then the government announced a 7% increase in the fees of prepaid medicine companies, which was soon canceled. This gesture that was interpreted by the CGT and businessmen as a sign of advance of Kirchnerism on the health system for the State to take control of social works. No member of the ruling party publicly denied the existence of that plan.