If there is communication, many problems disappear. Info-Prim Neo interview with Nicolae Tafuni, director of the Chisinau Local Agency of the National Health Insurance Company
[– Economic entities say they have to put the insurance policies of the part-time employees into effect every month. Is it a new procedure?]
– The economic entities, bookkeepers and other persons must not presents themselves at the Local Health Insurance Agency every month to put the insurance policies of the part-time employees into effect. The need arises only if the list of such employees undergoes modifications, meaning new persons are employed or work contracts are terminated. The legislation explains it clearly. The law on mandatory health insurance of February 1998 says that the National Health Insurance Company ensures the obligatory health insurance of the Moldovans, including of those employed by individual work contract, the foreigners and stateless persons who reside in Moldova. A Government Decision with amendments to the law says the employer is obliged to present the modified lists of insured persons by the seventh day of the month that comes after the month when the modifications were made. If the lists are not presented at the required time, the persons with responsible posts working at the company will be liable to administrative penalties, as stipulated in point 10 of the mentioned decision.
[– So, if no changes are made in the list of persons who pay mandatory health insurance contributions, these lists must not be presented?]
– Yes, the policies are put into effect only when the lists are modified. The changes must be included in the relevant automated information system.
[– Why are things interpreted so if the legislation clearly describes the procedure?]
Some of the economic entities do not want to inform themselves. The Local Agency's website provides extracts from the legislation and Government decisions that describe the procedure for bringing the policies into effect. Moreover, there are standard lists that the representatives of the economic entities can find on the Internet. The websites furnish a lot of useful information for the economic entities.
[– Most of the signals come from small companies. They do not have legal services.]
– The companies that hire for example ten persons, three of whom are part-time employees, do not need to have legal services. The Local Health Insurance Agency has jurists. There is an information office where the companies can obtain the information they need. Our jurists can be consulted. The appointments can be scheduled through the Internet. If there is efficient communication with the employees of the Chisinau Local Agency, many of the problems can be solved immediately.
[– Are there problems with the individuals that come to purchase insurance policies themselves?]
– There are problems, though we made a schedule, posted the audience hours and set up a special office for the elderly people, invalids and pensioners. Of course, there is still room for improvement, but it will be much better if the people use the Internet more so that they do not waste time queuing up.
[– What about the unemployed persons. Only several days remained during which they can purchase insurance policies for this year at a lower price. What is the present situation?]
– The fixed insurance premium for this year is 2,478 lei. If the policy is bought by March 31, the unemployed persons (including the founders of private companies, persons who lease land for cultivation, units of transport or other property, the patent holders and other unemployed persons living in Moldova) benefit from a 50% discount. The discount for farmland owners, even if they rent the land out, is 75%. Regrettably, only 6,000 private individuals purchased health insurance policies by March 25, in contrast to 8,000 by the same date last year. 9200 policies were bought in 2009 overall. The procedure for purchasing policies after March 31 is more complicated. The applicants must present more documents. Our employees draw up a report and send it to court, which imposes a penalty of 0.1% of the cost of the policy for every late day. The persons purchase the policy only after they pay all the penalties.
[– Are there such persons?]
– About 600-900 persons a year buy policies after paying the imposed penalties. Most of them are persons who suffered injuries in accidents and the treatment they receive is long and costly. Thus they need the policy.
[– Why does the number of persons who buy the health insurance policy at fixed price decreases?]
– The access to primary medical care became free of charge for everyone. The uninsured persons can consult the family doctor, receive prescriptions for compensated medicines and benefit from free examinations in emergencies. However, they do not have access to hospital treatment even in case of serious injuries and chronic diseases.