Health insurance
I refer to Pio Dalli's "Talking Point" (October 30). The article does not merit a lengthy reply but I would like to briefly highlight the following points. Mr Dalli failed to answer any of the major points raised by Dr Mario Zerafa. In particular, he...
I refer to Pio Dalli's "Talking Point" (October 30). The article does not merit a lengthy reply but I would like to briefly highlight the following points.
Mr Dalli failed to answer any of the major points raised by Dr Mario Zerafa. In particular, he failed to give an adequate explanation why Laferla Insurance Agency Limited is offering less cover to its clients than its competitors.
It is most unfortunate that Dr Maurice Cauchi's clarification to his original letter, in which he states that "the majority of doctors are paragons of ethical practice" (October 10), was not quoted.
MAM had reached an agreement with BUPA in 1997 as it was the then largest health insurance company. While other insurances have, by and large, abided by the MAM-BUPA agreement, Mr Dalli has rightly confirmed that Laferla Insurance has not.
The fact (implicitly confirmed by Mr Dalli) that the vast majority of consultants are still charging fees which conform with the MAM-BUPA agreement of 1997 shows that it is baseless to claim that "consultants' tariffs are shooting up, without any form of control" and that his assertion is simply his subjective opinion in the light that LIAL benefits maxima are lower than those of the other health insurers in Malta.
The medical profession is fully answerable to the Medical Council. However, this has not prevented the MAM from entering into discussions with the Malta Insurance Association (MIA) so that patients need not have to face arguments such as those brought up by Mr Dalli, when a claim is made. Incidentally Mr Dalli's LIAL is not a member of MIA.
On a more positive note, MAM notes with satisfaction that Laferla Insurance is now ready to honour any future agreement reached with local medical insurers.
The soon-to-be-enacted Health Care Professions Act will, among other things, bring about an overhaul in the set-up of the Medical Council of Malta. When this new legislation was in the draft stage, it was MAM which first suggested that there should be lay representation on the new Medical Council.