The bonus for medical consultations was increased to $25,000

THE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE BONUS HAS INCREASED IN THE LAST MONTH OF THE YEAR/WEB

Doctors have made a significant update to the maximum amount of the Professional Practice Bonus (BEP), the tariff instrument that regulates the payment of medical consultations and practices to professionals outside of the fees established in agreements with social services. The new maximum amount that doctors can apply in their consultations has been set at 25,000 pesos, with the aim of closing the gap that exists between the fees paid by social services and the real cost of quality medical care.

The aim of this tariff adjustment is to give healthcare professionals room for maneuver and to enable them to maintain the quality of care in the face of constantly increasing operating costs, which also include the maintenance of offices, the purchase of aids, technical modernization and the payment of support staff. The bonus, which is not compulsory and granted under a free contract between patient and doctor, acts as an additional remuneration for the consultation or procedure, which must then be borne by the patient, with the possibility of requesting a subsequent reimbursement from his social security office, depending on his insurance coverage.

The roots of the BEP go back to an initiative launched by medical and scientific societies themselves in response to the tariff crisis that has plagued the sector for years. The creation of this bonus represented a measure of self-defense against the persistent delay in the payment of the amounts paid by the main social institutions and the prepaid benefits, a situation that, according to doctors, endangers the sustainability of the private and mixed health system.

Initially, this tool was developed by a group of scientific societies of different disciplines who saw the need to set up a mechanism that would allow the professional to charge a fee according to the complexity and quality of the service provided, without completely breaking the agreements with the financing companies. The implementation of the BEP allowed physicians to maintain continuity of care without having to resort to massive contract breaches that would have left thousands of members without direct insurance coverage.

The basis of the bonus is the recognition of the specialist’s specialization, the time invested in the advice and the experience. Health experts argued that with the rising cost of living and rising inflation, social work fees were updated much more slowly, making medical practice unsustainable. The BEP thus became a complement that attempts to align fees with market costs, improve doctors’ working conditions and thus ensure that the quality of care does not decline.

STRESS

The use of the BEP continues to cause tension in the system, as many patients feel that it has a direct impact on their wallets and fear that if they do not pay it, it could cause problems with the healthcare professionals who receive it.

The last adjustment occurred in January this year when the price was set at 15,000 pesos.