The fees for prepaid medical plans increased 3,544% between 2012 and 2022, above the inflation recorded in that period, according to a survey by the Defense of Users and Consumers association (Deuco).
“If we add the ten years, prepaid medicine always increased more than the IPC: the IPC between 2012 and 2022 increased 2,467% and prepaid increased 3,544% in that period,” said the president of Deuco, Pedro Bussetti, in statements to Télam.
According to a report prepared by the association, between 2020 and 2022 prepaid medicine increased 247.58%; between 2016 and 2019, during the government of Mauricio Macri, the cost increased 329.52%; and between 2012 and 2015 the value of the shares rose 144.14%.
“During 2020, no relevant increases in prepaid medicine were applied; only at the end of the year was an increase of 10% authorized and subsequently and to date, the increases are practically monthly and far exceed the index of accumulated inflation in the period December 2020-December 2022, even with the projections of a 100% increase in the CPI for the current year,” Deuco said.
Taking into account the data recorded, an affiliate who in September 2012 paid a monthly fee of $1,000, in December 2015, had to pay $2,441, at the end of 2019 he would pay the sum of $10,496 and at the end of 2022, he would pay an amount of $36,482.
In this context, Bussetti pointed out that “there are four large prepaid companies that have 85% of the market,” and argued that “the State must recover its regulatory capacity” to control this service.
He also considered that “we must generate a debate on the health system and strengthen the public and social work systems”, and stated that “the commodification of health is a whole issue, companies are more concerned with hotels than with medical benefits”.
“There are important businessmen in the sector who complain about low profitability and then buy television channels or make real estate investments,” the Deuco head concluded.