Thursday, February 18, 2021
With great concern I see and hear how the elderly are left defenseless against this inhuman and ruthless system every day, of course, clarifying that prepaid medicine (PM) is part of voluntary health plans, which does not change their way of acting with people. reaching this age.
Our elderly adults are asking for care, especially now with this pandemic, a situation that these companies do not care about, because they increase their base rates by up to 300% when they reach a certain age. Where is the Superintendence of Health?
The 2021 pension had a 1.61% readjustment in the face of the crazy increases in prepaid medicine. As age increases, payment increases disproportionately, which is illogical because many of these people have paid for many years and now, when they need more services, they are forced to accept rates that are more than double or triple that. what they had paid or in case you do not terminate your contract by withdrawal.
It seems that what is important is to link young people to their plans, through pompous advertising on social networks and attractive rates, and for their current, elderly users, the reverse rule, to disconnect them with excessive rates that they will not be able to you pay, regardless of your salary history or age, which scares you the most.
Another strategy against complaints is to reduce the rate and also to reduce the opportunity of the service in terms of services (change of plan), it seems that the mission of these companies towards our adults is to withdraw them at any cost from the provision of services, because by deducting from their obligations, the lower the risk, the more the profits generated during the service were paid and not used.
Decree 780 of 2016 (Single Regulatory Decree for the health and social protection sector) provides that any amendment to a current contract must be made by mutual agreement between the parties. Who would accept an increase in a contractual relationship that exceeds double or triple its rate?
In addition, the same decree indicates that the readjustment of the tariff cannot in any case imply exclusions. For this particular case, being an older adult implies an almost immediate retirement, because this increase is not what is expected. The existence of adjustments is not unknown, but the fact that it limits abuse is something else, it is a matter of empathy and contractual balance.
Where are the principles in relation to the rates of these companies, such as the technical principle of economic equity. Some of these companies indicate that they are free to make these excessive increases. How much does tariff freedom work? Is allowed? Well, if so, they should also share with their future and unsuspecting users (myself included) information that when they reach a certain age, their rate will increase exponentially and the options will not be available. I think a minimum and maximum percentage should be set at these rates, and do not opt for the surprise factor, but for the pocket and families.
Older adults are special subjects protected by the legal system, who will ensure the protection of the fundamental right to health, where are these increases justified?
This situation may have something to do with the fact that we are classified as one of the least favorable countries for aging.