Govt in talks with private clinics for insurance

Govt in talks with private clinics for insurance

By Shwe Yee Saw Myint   |   Friday, 06 June 2014

 

Workers holding social insurance smart cards could soon be able to access private health care, the labour ministry says. U Yu Lwin Aung, director general of the ministry's social security board, told The Myanmar Times that the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security was negotiating a healthcare deal with Okkala Specialist Clinic in North Okkalapa.

The plan, involving an agreement between the social security board and a private-sector healthcare provider, would be the first of its kind.

"We've already met twice with OSC but are still discussing rates. We will take up the matter with them again," said U Yu Lwin Aung.

Under the proposed plan, participants would receive treatment at a hospital on presentation of their social insurance smart card, and the social security board would reimburse the hospital. OSC managing director U Thura Aung said cost was likely to be an issue. "The government said they would like to implement this project first with a pilot scheme because it has never been done before," he said. "But on the question of fixed prices, a government hospital and a private hospital have very different pricing structures, and this is something that we will have to resolve. We cannot reduce our prices to the level of government rates, but we can give discounts for medical checkups."

One proposal is a dual payment scheme by which the government would reimburse a percentage of the hospital bill, with a top-up fee from the individual patient.

The SSB first issued smart cards last July, and now more than 6 million workers hold them.

Holders are entitled to receive free medical treatment at SSB's employers' clinics as well as referrals to workers' hospitals, in exchange for regular worker contributions. But there are only three workers' hospitals in the country – at Tarmwe, Htantapin and Mandalay, as well as 92 SSB clinics.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2014/06/07/govt-in-talks-with-private-clinics-for-insurance/