The conflict involving two million members of the Provincial Medical Assistance Institute (IOMA)and in the middle of a four-day strike by doctors grouped in FEMEBAescalates to a point of no return because the entity has just reported that Social work “is a political fund of La Cámpora.”
FEMEBA accused “diversion of funds” to benefit intermediaries linked to the group led by Máximo Kirchner. According to the public documentthe Illegal maneuver would be through polyclinics, a modality adopted by the IOMA for certain practices. This system transforms the social work from financier of the system to provider, directly, with its own effectors. That is the crux of the lawsuit that has been going on for several months now.
The confrontation began at the moment when IOMA decided to eliminate the contract with FEMEBA in 19 districts of Buenos Airess. It was due to “high level of improper charges” by doctors. Since then, the tension could not be overcome and concludes this week with a strike of professional activities until Thursday.
The weighting of the actors now derives from the institutional to a political terrain, since FEMEBA supports the existence of the “endorsement” by the Minister of Health, Nicolás Kreplak, for the alleged diversions in favor of La Cámpora. Throughout this time, according to the same argument, “behind Axel Kicillof’s back”. Those responsible for the entity establish this assumption, furthermore, with a side glance at Kicillof’s own fight with Máximo Kirchner. For this reason, although the governor is ultimately responsible for the administration, he is protected from denunciation. Even the internal party is the object of attention here, where millions of pesos move.
“The leadership of IOMA has resolved to abandon more than 155,000 beneficiaries from 19 districts in the province of Buenos Aires and condemn them to losing their trusted doctor and having to be treated exclusively in the public hospital, in the best of cases. This behavior implies a spectacular transfer of funds to for-profit intermediaries, evidently linked to Minister Kreplak and the current leadership of IOMA“, mentions the Federation text.
The answer came quickly: “Given the determination (of the strike) IOMA will debit from the capitation payment what corresponds to the 4 days of lock out for the health of those affiliated with the social work.. This measure is a consequence of the entity’s failure to comply with the agreement that it still maintains with our social work in a hundred districts in the province of Buenos Aires,” is the official counterattack.
For the president of IOMA, Homero Giles, it is “a rich corporation, the largest medical corporation in the country. If you mess with them, they will make your life miserable.” And he added: “For 20 years, FEMEBA’s service has been bad, with undue charges. Today there are doctors who want to serve through IOMA, but they won’t let them. We told them (the entity), ‘let’s do an audit,’ but they didn’t. “they want.”
A system under review
One of the controversies represents lThe activity of polyclinics, which are small clinics exclusive to their members. 232 are already operating in the provincial territory. It continues to expand, with objections to transparency in the management of resources. In this case, always with attention to the complaint, for the benefit of a political sector. The presumption is the linking of the sectoral chamber that brings together this type of service (the ACEAPP, Civil Association of Welfare Establishments and Private Providers) with La Cámpora.
Based in La Plata, the ACEAPP receives funds from IOMA and pays the owners of polyclinics, who in turn pay the doctors who work in them. Its director is Silvina Fontana, former Undersecretary of Planning of the Buenos Aires Ministry of Health, and currently a pediatrician at the “Mi Pueblo” Hospital in Florencio Varela. The alleged connection with the group of Máximo K. would involve having signed a collaboration agreement with the PAMI, when it was in charge of the camper Luana Volnovich.
Again, then, FEMEBA insists: this situation “not only demonstrates the economic interest of running IOMA, but also implies spectacular financing of La Cámpora, organization that, paradoxically, maintains an internal struggle with the current governor.”
“The owners of the different companies to which the Institute transfers money, not only maintain the aforementioned links, but also do not resist the slightest audit, as is the case, for example, with the founder of RM Salud Integral, a ‘businesswoman’ of 20 years old, domiciled in La Matanza, without the most basic background in the management of Medical Care Services, and who on a similar date created an agricultural company and a marketing company,” the Federation statement states.
Then, he maintains: “We understand that The governor is not included in the distribution of the money that IOMA transfers to private entitiesand we trust that you will assume your responsibility to take care of the health of the people of Buenos Aires, and make it clear that you are outside the non-transparent management of your government,” signs the FEMEBA Executive Board.
Kicillof has not spoken yet. It is likely to support the management of social work. A critical paragraph would unleash an internal gale in your administration.