Unión Médica Nacional (UMN) publicly accused Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) for not usig 427,000 million colones out of the 2015 budget aimed to patients’ health care.
The information exposed by Edwin Solano, UMN’s president, reveals that although the institution has funds, waiting lists for surgery, outpatient and diagnostic procedures such as colonoscopy, gastroscopy, ultrasound, mammography and CT scan continue to rise due to the lack of proper planning in the training of specialists and the creation of slots.
The complaint stated that
while money isn’t a problem, obsolete equipment hasn’t been changed and we suffer the consequences. It is happening right now: there are hospitals that don’t have a replacement for their damaged CT scan. It affects the waiting lists,”
Although union representatives have expressed several times the need of creating slots by regions, so doctors from distant areas can receive proper training, the CCSS’ board has ignored the issue.
Maria del Rocío Sáenz, president of the CCSS just said the
CCSS is aware of the situation. We hope we can find solutions together.”
However, Sáenz didn’t mention the complaint for unspent 427, 000 million.