Pacitalia
08-11-2008, 07:03
From Tempo Passo print edition
Saturday 8th November 2008
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/Pacitalia/hospitalsign-1.jpg
Pacitalia will ring in the new year with a significant
advancement in social policy — the national government
will launch a nationwide health insurance program from
New Year's Day, the first time in the country's history
that the government has provided any form of
universal health care to citizens and residents.
National health insurance system launching 1st January
Creation of a government agency under the Directorate of Public Health and Wellness
Draco Mantarse, national government correspondent, Timiocato
For the first time in Pacitalia's history the country will have a national health insurance program, enabling all Pacitalians access to health care coverage for a yearly premium comparable to those charged by employers or educational institutions. The program is meant to provide easy access to far-reaching coverage that the government argues will relieve a significant financial burden on individuals and families across the country.
The government hailed the passage of the final draft of the National Health Insurance Act, 2008 (9900 T10 A10 11/2008) as "a significant step forward in social progress in Pacitalia", a move designed "not to encourage dependence on the state, but instill a sense of greater certainty in the lives of individuals".
"This is a very important day in the history of this country," the Agustinate of Public Health, Persefona Domasche, told reporters at a press conference Friday afternoon. "We have taken a giant step forward in securing Pacitalia's legacy to future generations, in securing for this country an important pillar in our society."
The program will be funded off opt-ins from subscribers, or "policy holders". Each subscriber will pay a set fee per year to receive a certain guarantee of coverage. There will be two levels of coverage under the national program — basic or extended. Policy holders can pay one fee per year, or partition it into 12 monthly or 52 weekly payments depending on their financial situation.
The national health insurance program will be supervised through the Directorate of Public Health and Wellness (DPHW), which Ms Domasche heads. Ms Domasche and senior DPHW bureaucrats will then appoint a board of directors to manage the program.
Ms Domasche says people can start opting-in now, either on the DPHW's website or at any DPHW service point across the country. Coverage will begin at midnight on New Year's Day.
Here's how the program's basics break down:
Any Pacitalian or legal resident 20 years of age or older, or otherwise self-sufficient over the age of 16, can obtain health insurance under the new program
Basic coverage will cost Đ 377 per year and covers the subscriber, or "policy holder", for up to Đ 50,000 in annual medical or dental expenses, plus an additional Đ 7,500 in prescription costs
Extended coverage will cost Đ 565 per year and covers the policy holder for up to Đ 80,000 in annual medical or dental expenses, plus an additional Đ 12,000 in prescription costs
Both levels of insurance cover the policy holder and up to two dependents
A grandfather clause will entitle the policy holder to an additional Đ 50,000 in situations where unforeseen emergency medical care is required; this will not apply to emergency dental work
Tertiary students can obtain basic coverage for Đ 277 per year; seniors (age 65+) for Đ 245 per year
There are significant concerns both in government and among citizens about the cost of the program — a recent poll suggests 31 percent of Pacitalians opposed a national scheme. Many Pacitalians fear that Timiocato would reinstate a national income tax. There has not been any income tax at the national level since March 1962. The government rejected those concerns.
"This program will not require any sort of national income taxation," Ms Domasche told PNN over the phone. "We fully intend the program to run on — and have budgeted and structured this program around — the opt-ins from subscribers. If, for example, Pacitalians had no choice and had to participate in the national health insurance program, we would probably consider a tax to cover the costs or just continue employing the coverage premiums system."
But the health insurance system will remain "a fully-optional avenue", she said, "for all Pacitalians to obtain health insurance coverage at a low premium."
Interestingly, the DPHW says that if a policy holder already has medical coverage from their employer or tertiary educational institution, but not dental coverage, they can receive basic dental-only coverage for Đ 190 per year, and extended coverage for Đ 260 per year. That scenario also works in reverse if a policy holder has dental coverage but no medical coverage. However, the split coverage will entitle the policy holder to only half the benefits of basic coverage or of extended coverage.
The government warned that abuse or defrauding of the national health insurance system would result in steep fines or even jail time. Ms Domasche said the highest possible fine for fraud or abuse in 2009, the first year of the program, will be Đ 1.5M, and that the fine ceiling will rise with inflation. The maximum prison sentence for fraudulent acts against the insurance system will be "in line with our existing criminal code protocol for any type of fraud", meaning as much as 25 years in prison with no chance of parole for at least 15.
The National Federation of Health Providers, Pacitalia's seventh-largest labour union, said its only criticism of the program was that it comes "much too late for a progressive, liberal democracy like Pacitalia".
"This is something that we could have easily secured in the 1960s or 1970s, maybe even earlier," NFHP president Gheorghe Angelescu said. "Universal health care is an important part of any progressive society. I am thankful that we now have such a program... but rather embarrassed we did not implement it until now."
Saturday 8th November 2008
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d197/Pacitalia/hospitalsign-1.jpg
Pacitalia will ring in the new year with a significant
advancement in social policy — the national government
will launch a nationwide health insurance program from
New Year's Day, the first time in the country's history
that the government has provided any form of
universal health care to citizens and residents.
National health insurance system launching 1st January
Creation of a government agency under the Directorate of Public Health and Wellness
Draco Mantarse, national government correspondent, Timiocato
For the first time in Pacitalia's history the country will have a national health insurance program, enabling all Pacitalians access to health care coverage for a yearly premium comparable to those charged by employers or educational institutions. The program is meant to provide easy access to far-reaching coverage that the government argues will relieve a significant financial burden on individuals and families across the country.
The government hailed the passage of the final draft of the National Health Insurance Act, 2008 (9900 T10 A10 11/2008) as "a significant step forward in social progress in Pacitalia", a move designed "not to encourage dependence on the state, but instill a sense of greater certainty in the lives of individuals".
"This is a very important day in the history of this country," the Agustinate of Public Health, Persefona Domasche, told reporters at a press conference Friday afternoon. "We have taken a giant step forward in securing Pacitalia's legacy to future generations, in securing for this country an important pillar in our society."
The program will be funded off opt-ins from subscribers, or "policy holders". Each subscriber will pay a set fee per year to receive a certain guarantee of coverage. There will be two levels of coverage under the national program — basic or extended. Policy holders can pay one fee per year, or partition it into 12 monthly or 52 weekly payments depending on their financial situation.
The national health insurance program will be supervised through the Directorate of Public Health and Wellness (DPHW), which Ms Domasche heads. Ms Domasche and senior DPHW bureaucrats will then appoint a board of directors to manage the program.
Ms Domasche says people can start opting-in now, either on the DPHW's website or at any DPHW service point across the country. Coverage will begin at midnight on New Year's Day.
Here's how the program's basics break down:
Any Pacitalian or legal resident 20 years of age or older, or otherwise self-sufficient over the age of 16, can obtain health insurance under the new program
Basic coverage will cost Đ 377 per year and covers the subscriber, or "policy holder", for up to Đ 50,000 in annual medical or dental expenses, plus an additional Đ 7,500 in prescription costs
Extended coverage will cost Đ 565 per year and covers the policy holder for up to Đ 80,000 in annual medical or dental expenses, plus an additional Đ 12,000 in prescription costs
Both levels of insurance cover the policy holder and up to two dependents
A grandfather clause will entitle the policy holder to an additional Đ 50,000 in situations where unforeseen emergency medical care is required; this will not apply to emergency dental work
Tertiary students can obtain basic coverage for Đ 277 per year; seniors (age 65+) for Đ 245 per year
There are significant concerns both in government and among citizens about the cost of the program — a recent poll suggests 31 percent of Pacitalians opposed a national scheme. Many Pacitalians fear that Timiocato would reinstate a national income tax. There has not been any income tax at the national level since March 1962. The government rejected those concerns.
"This program will not require any sort of national income taxation," Ms Domasche told PNN over the phone. "We fully intend the program to run on — and have budgeted and structured this program around — the opt-ins from subscribers. If, for example, Pacitalians had no choice and had to participate in the national health insurance program, we would probably consider a tax to cover the costs or just continue employing the coverage premiums system."
But the health insurance system will remain "a fully-optional avenue", she said, "for all Pacitalians to obtain health insurance coverage at a low premium."
Interestingly, the DPHW says that if a policy holder already has medical coverage from their employer or tertiary educational institution, but not dental coverage, they can receive basic dental-only coverage for Đ 190 per year, and extended coverage for Đ 260 per year. That scenario also works in reverse if a policy holder has dental coverage but no medical coverage. However, the split coverage will entitle the policy holder to only half the benefits of basic coverage or of extended coverage.
The government warned that abuse or defrauding of the national health insurance system would result in steep fines or even jail time. Ms Domasche said the highest possible fine for fraud or abuse in 2009, the first year of the program, will be Đ 1.5M, and that the fine ceiling will rise with inflation. The maximum prison sentence for fraudulent acts against the insurance system will be "in line with our existing criminal code protocol for any type of fraud", meaning as much as 25 years in prison with no chance of parole for at least 15.
The National Federation of Health Providers, Pacitalia's seventh-largest labour union, said its only criticism of the program was that it comes "much too late for a progressive, liberal democracy like Pacitalia".
"This is something that we could have easily secured in the 1960s or 1970s, maybe even earlier," NFHP president Gheorghe Angelescu said. "Universal health care is an important part of any progressive society. I am thankful that we now have such a program... but rather embarrassed we did not implement it until now."