By The Star Staff
Designated Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero met with leaders of health insurance companies in Puerto Rico over the weekend in an effort to strengthen the island’s health care system and ensure patients receive fair and timely medical care.
Ramos Otero acknowledged the vital role of insurance companies in administering and coordinating health services, stressing that the patient must always be the top priority. He emphasized that the dialogue was intended to foster collaboration, not to assign blame, and aimed at optimizing processes to eliminate unnecessary barriers to accessing medical services.
“Our goal is to work together to guarantee an efficient, accessible, and high-quality health system,” Ramos Otero said. “We recognize that there are areas needing improvement, and we want to ensure that no citizen’s medical care is hindered by bureaucracy or financial decisions.”
During the meeting, the designated health secretary stated: “Patients’ time is not negotiable. We cannot allow administrative procedures or financial decisions to jeopardize the lives and quality of care for those who depend on our health system. We also cannot let patient service providers be adversely affected.”
Ramos Otero reiterated his commitment to defending patients’ rights and shared the programmatic commitments outlined by Gov. Jenniffer González Colón. Those commitments include the establishment of a prosecutors unit within the Department of Justice to enforce the Patients’ Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, ensuring that citizens receive fair representation in disputes with insurance companies. Additionally, there are plans to strengthen the Patient Advocacy Office by providing it with more legal resources to effectively defend citizens’ rights. The modernization of the medical referral and authorization system has also been proposed to reduce bureaucracy and streamline the provision of services. Furthermore, there are plans to expand access to medical services in vulnerable communities, including improvements in diagnostic and treatment centers (CDTs by the initials in Spanish) and 330 Health Centers.
“I am confident that everyone here can agree that these initiatives will benefit our health system and, most importantly, our patients,” Ramos Otero said. “This conversation is just the beginning of an ongoing dialogue.”
The discussion involved representatives from the 17 insurance companies that provide coverage to the public sector, which includes 1.3 million beneficiaries of the Vital Plan, as well as the private sector. The meeting was part of Ramos Otero’s agenda of activities, which has included visits to numerous health facilities across the island and meetings with 103 associations and entities that serve patients.
Among those in attendance were executive directors and staff from the Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration and the Medicaid program; Dr. Iris Cardona Gerena, the chief medical officer of the Department of Health; and Insurance Commissioner Alexander Adams Vega.
Ramos Otero has traveled to CDT centers, 330 Health Centers, and hospitals in municipalities such as Culebra, Vieques, Maunabo, Vega Baja, Vega Alta, Manatí, Florida, Utuado, Cabo Rojo, Mayagüez and Santa Isabel. He also has engaged with the Mayors Federation and the board of directors of the Community Alliance of 330 Health Centers. This Thursday, Ramos Otero is scheduled to visit San Lorenzo, among other municipalities, and has committed to continuing his outreach to ensure that access to healthcare does not depend on a citizen’s place of residence.
“Health knows no municipal borders and cannot depend on insurance codes,” Ramos Otero said. “Our mission is to ensure that every citizen, regardless of where they live, receives the care they deserve.”
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