Maria to take up hospital budget agreement issue
Thursday February 2, 2006 - Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, N.A.
“SMMC has gone through trying times. The management and staff have cut back and bitten the bullet to make sure that facility is survivable. … Some believe that unless there is a change in the person who holds this position (Health Minister), nothing positive will come out of this situation.”
Meyers said he had been informed during a meeting with SMMC General Director Dr. George Scot this week that the situation between SMMC and SVB was “status quo.” “SMMC doesn’t feel as if they are making any strides to hammer out a long-term solution pertaining to (a budget agreement with) SVB,” Meyers said.
Up to last year the hospital was asking for an increase of two million guilders per annum on its existing budget agreement with SVB until the federal ordinance regulating SVB tariffs is changed. The existing budget agreement was put in place in 2001 and has been extended more than once. Late last year the hospital received an amount from SVB for a specified period.
The budget agreement stipulates the fixed annual amount SVB pays the hospital for medical treatment rendered to its clients. The annual amount is divided by 12 and the hospital receives this amount monthly.
Copyright ©2006 The Daily Herald
Thursday February 2, 2006 - Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, N.A.
PHILIPSBURG--Health Commissioner Franklin Meyers said Democratic Party (DP) Parliamentarian Maria Buncamper-Molanus would be asked to get involved in the talks between St. Maarten Medical Center and the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) for a new budget agreement covering SVB clients seeking medical services at the hospital.
“SMMC has gone through trying times. The management and staff have cut back and bitten the bullet to make sure that facility is survivable. … Some believe that unless there is a change in the person who holds this position (Health Minister), nothing positive will come out of this situation.”
Meyers said he had been informed during a meeting with SMMC General Director Dr. George Scot this week that the situation between SMMC and SVB was “status quo.” “SMMC doesn’t feel as if they are making any strides to hammer out a long-term solution pertaining to (a budget agreement with) SVB,” Meyers said.
Up to last year the hospital was asking for an increase of two million guilders per annum on its existing budget agreement with SVB until the federal ordinance regulating SVB tariffs is changed. The existing budget agreement was put in place in 2001 and has been extended more than once. Late last year the hospital received an amount from SVB for a specified period.
The budget agreement stipulates the fixed annual amount SVB pays the hospital for medical treatment rendered to its clients. The annual amount is divided by 12 and the hospital receives this amount monthly.
Copyright ©2006 The Daily Herald
