Fomag announced changes in the health services of the teaching profession

The National Fund for Social Benefits for Teachers (Fomag) announced a series of changes in the provision of health services for Colombian teachers. According to the entity, and with the objective of implementing the new model, From now on, users will need authorization to access these services.

(Read: Petro’s ministers will be investigated for anomalies in the new teacher health system)

In recent months, Fomag had issued circulars 002 and its extension through 007 of 2024, which were intended to guarantee the care and delivery of medicines to all members of the Teaching Profession.

However, with this new modification, Teachers in the country must have authorization to receive care or to receive low-complexity, high-cost or specially controlled medications.

(See more: Complaints and claims about Fomag have been reduced by almost half)

“It should be noted that the completion of these measures represents an important step towards the advancement of the Teachers’ Health Model to provide medical care to our users, through voluntary agreements made with a wide network of providers in the territories, which provide high quality, comprehensive services to which users have access through free choice.“, they said in a statement.

They also detail that this network will continue to be adjusted taking into account user satisfaction and the quality of service provision. For this reason, from the August 1st the provision of health services and technologies They will be guaranteed through the management of the network of providers in all territories nationwide.

(Read also: Irregularities in the allocation of resources in Fomag that the Comptroller’s Office is investigating)

With the change of model carried out last May, one of the major impacts of the collapse of the system was emergency care. In light of this point, Fomag stated that these will be attended to throughout the national territory, through public or private IPS“mandatory in all institutions in the country.”

(See: ‘Failed pilot’, Anif’s rating of the new health model for teachers in the country)

Besides, It is stipulated that such services cannot be denied due to not having contracts.as Colombian law states, but patients may also be referred without delay to the required network that is built within the national territory. They add that the management of drug delivery will be “guaranteed” through the network of drug managers.

According to María Mercedes Petro, national health manager of Fomag, with the implementation of this model An improvement in waiting times for consultations and procedures is expected, the reduction in PQRS filing rates, the increase in patient satisfaction and progress in the management of medication delivery and appointment scheduling.

(Read more: Attorney General’s Office announced disciplinary measures for change in health model for teachers)

Lack of payments

This week the Association of State Social Enterprises (AESA) He assured that he was going to suspend the provision of non-urgent services to teachers and their beneficiaries in Antioquia due to non-payment of Fomag, which already totals $3 billion.

(Read also: Supersalud imposes precautionary measures on Fiduprevisora ​​and Fomag)

In a letter, Luis Hernán Sanchez, executive director of the association, said that in addition to the delays in payments, there was also They have received the contracts from Fomag for the hospital managers to sign them.taking into account that the model started in May.

In turn, both Fomag and Fiduprevisora ​​issued a statement in which they assure that they are “working” to fulfill the commitments made, and also, They declared that 70% of the invoiced value of the services provided per event will be advanced and the remaining money will be cancelled once the invoices are audited.

(See: Fecode recognizes trauma in the new health model implemented in the teaching profession)