November 12, 2024
The world of healthcare is alarmed by the new tariff nomenclature which will come into force next January 1st and which in some regions, for example Puglia, could be valid starting from next December 1st. «With the cuts in tariffs for visits and tests foreseen in the new tariff nomenclature – declared yesterday the president of the National Union of clinics, polyclinics, institutions and private hospitals, Mariastella Giorlandino – we are talking about up to 38 percent on prices that have been stable for 30 years, we accredited private structures risk closing and a hole will also be created in the budgets of public local health authorities.” With reductions of up to 200 percent in some of what are considered “critical services”, there is a real risk that most private structures will be unable to provide the service and therefore patients will be directed to public structures, already burdened from the disposal of waiting lists. «Funds for healthcare must be found by eliminating other expenses of the national healthcare system. An electrocardiogram, with a doctor and nurse, reimbursed at 17 euros – added the president of Uap, Giorlandino – is not possible. Either you go back to looking the patient in the eyes or someone has to do an exam.”
It should not be forgotten that accredited private individuals perform 58.7 percent of all specialist services on the national territory. Still remaining on numbers, there are 27,000 structures at risk of closing, with a potential loss of over 350,000 jobs. The vice president of Unindustria health section, Luca Marino, also expressed fear: «It is not clear why this decree which on many occasions presents inappropriate tariffs. Outpatient specialists are a strategic sector because we all know what late diagnoses mean. As Unindustria we hope – added Marino – for a change of heart about the decree law and the fact that a happy medium can be found”.
The president of FedrAnisap, Valter Rufini, doesn’t mince words: «The large groups from abroad have acquired 3,000 Italian laboratories, the tariff worries us because in this sector a billion services are performed a year and quality is lost. The poorest will pay.” Harsh criticism also from Federbiologi, represented at the Guglielmo Marconi University, venue of the event organized by Uap, by president Elisabetta Argenziano: «Ferbiologi firmly contests the methodological and political criteria used to determine the tariffs. In fact, they were obtained without any reference to the fundamental principles of concertation, abolishing any democratic comparison with trade associations and ignoring the support of scientific societies”. The new tariff nomenclature risks having a significant impact on the Regions with limited resources or with a recovery plan, on the contrary the financially more solid ones could make up for the lack of funds by integrating the tariffs. As a result, therefore, in the areas of the country where the health gap is more evident, the essential levels of assistance (Lea) may not be guaranteed.
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**Interview with Mariastella Giorlandino, President of the National Union of Clinics and Private Hospitals**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Mariastella. We’re aware that the upcoming changes to the tariff nomenclature in healthcare are causing significant concern. Can you explain what specific cuts are being proposed and how they will impact private clinics?
**Giorlandino:** Thank you for having me. Yes, the new tariff nomenclature set to take effect on January 1st, with some regions like Puglia implementing it as early as December 1st, proposes cuts of up to 38 percent on tariffs for visits and tests. This is particularly alarming because many of these prices have remained unchanged for over 30 years. If these cuts go through, we face the real possibility of many accredited private clinics having to close their doors, creating a substantial gap in the healthcare system.
**Editor:** That’s quite a substantial reduction. What do you believe will be the consequences for patients if these closures happen?
**Giorlandino:** If private clinics begin to close, patients will likely find themselves directed toward public structures, which are already overwhelmed with long waiting lists. The reduction of critical services by up to 200 percent is especially concerning; it threatens the accessibility and quality of care for many individuals who rely on these services.
**Editor:** You mentioned earlier the percentage of specialist services provided by accredited private institutions. Can you expand on that?
**Giorlandino:** Certainly. Accredited private providers account for approximately 58.7 percent of all specialist services across the country. Losing such a significant number of these facilities could drastically affect the national healthcare landscape and limit patient options. Our calculations suggest that 27,000 structures might be at risk, which could lead to the loss of over 350,000 jobs in the healthcare sector.
**Editor:** What do you propose as a solution to mitigate this crisis?
**Giorlandino:** It’s crucial that we find funding for healthcare by reassessing and eliminating inefficiencies within the national healthcare budget. We cannot continue to disregard the value of healthcare professionals and the services they provide. For example, reimbursing an electrocardiogram at 17 euros is neither feasible nor sustainable. Our healthcare system must recognize the importance of quality over mere cost-cutting.
**Editor:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Mariastella. This situation indeed calls for urgent attention and a collaborative approach to ensure the sustainability of healthcare services.
**Giorlandino:** Thank you for bringing this issue to the forefront. It’s a critical time for our healthcare system, and we must advocate for necessary changes to protect both providers and patients.
