President Piñera presents comprehensive healthcare reform designed to provide more protection and security to families

On Monday, President Sebastián Piñera unveiled the comprehensive healthcare reform, which is designed to strengthen Chile’s national health service Fonasa by providing expanded benefits and lower costs to families and to enhance the private healthcare system by eliminating discrimination and exclusions for pre-existing conditions, improving protection and giving consumers greater freedom when choosing a health insurance company.

“Our healthcare system must be reformed in order to improve timely access, quality of care, coverage and financial protection,” the President said at a ceremony at La Moneda Palace, where he was accompanied by Health Minister Emilio Santelices, other ministers, undersecretaries, members of Congress, Fonasa officials, healthcare sector representatives and users of both systems.

The reform gives Fonasa greater authority to refer patients within and beyond the public health network in order to provide faster solutions and eliminate extended wait times.

One important benefit for families will be the expansion of opportunities to opt for the free choice modality and improved financial coverage because the amounts of the allowances will be increased and copayments better regulated in order to decrease out-of-pocket spending on healthcare by Chilean families. In addition, an effort will be made to provide lower medication prices. The reform will ensure greater access to timely and high quality care and will prevent discrimination by allowing either spouse to be enrolled as a dependent.

“The goal of the reform is to ensure that health care is provided in a timelier manner with greater quality and more dignity for users who receive healthcare services,” President Piñera stated.

He also presented a private healthcare reform designed to offer greater solidarity, transparency and security.

The initiative proposes the implementation of a single health plan that will be offered with the same level of coverage by all health insurance companies (isapres) based on content set by the regulatory agency. The prior health status declaration and exclusions for pre-existing conditions will be eliminated, and insurers will be required to offer their plan to all affiliates who request it.

The new plan will include outpatient, hospital, urgent care, maternity and newborn care, mental health and rehabilitation services as well as rehabilitation devices, medication and hospital supplies, laboratory services and X-rays, services for those with chronic illnesses, pediatric services and preventative medicine.

The bill sets the same pricing conditions for men and women and establishes a solidarity-based compensation system to significantly decrease price discrimination based on age or health condition.

In addition, a single copay will be set for all services and affiliates will be informed about it. The reform also creates additional financial protection for families in the form of a maximum annual spending amount after which health insurance companies (isapres) must cover 100% of expenses.

The changes also encourage competition given that all healthcare contracts will have the same start and end dates and there will be a window of time during which Chileans can compare their options and choose their health insurance provider for the upcoming year.

“These are undoubtedly very far-reaching and comprehensive reforms of our public and private healthcare system and they form part of our commitment to overhauling our health system,” President Piñera concluded.