Minister decides hospital
should get bigger budget
PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) now seems much closer to the end of a long winding road towards a new budget agreement with the Social Insurance Bank (SVB) that could mean more money for SMMC.
Health Minister Sandra Smith told The Daily Herald Sunday she made a decision in principle concerning a new budget agreement between SVB and SMMC on Friday, in keeping with which SMMC would receive NAf. 8.1 million this year for services rendered to SVB patients and NAf. 8.3 million in 2007.
She said the legal affairs department of the Central Government had to offer final advice before she could issue a Ministerial Decree about her decision, which she said was based on the ongoing negotiations for new budget arrangements between SVB and SMMC.
“SMMC couldn’t wait any longer on an agreement. That’s why I made a decision. We cannot have our medical institutions crippled because they are structurally coping with a deficit,” she said.
State Secretary of Health for the Windward Islands and Bonaire Rodolphe Samuel said that while SVB had been paying the tariffs stipulated by law, these tariffs were not sufficient to cover the cost of each SVB patient. “In the past SMMC had even threatened to stop accepting SVB patients,” he said.
In a letter dated May 15, it was stated that SMMC was to receive NAf. 100,000 in advance per month from January 2006 until October 1, 2006.
Meanwhile, negotiations have continued on the budgeted amount that SVB has to pay SMMC. Because these discussions have been inconclusive, Smith has decided to act.
The new budget for SMMC means a lot for health care in St. Maarten and the Windward Islands, Samuel said. “SMMC can now turn its attention 100 per cent to reaching the objectives of the institution. Congratulations to the National Alliance for putting the right person in place to get the job done,” he stated.
Democratic Party Member of Parliament Maria Buncamper-Molanus was also said to be pleased about this latest development. As a Member of Parliament she has been involved in the SVB/SMMC discussions for a fairly long time.
She said she had summoned a Parliamentary Public Health Committee meeting during which the SMMC board had given a presentation.
“The SVB tariffs were not covering the SMMC cost for services rendered. Even though SMMC maintained its operations, it was not able to make any investments. The new budget arrangement will give SMMC more breathing space, enabling the institution to make the necessary investments and buy medicine on a more favourable basis. At this point, SMMC is buying medicine on a cash basis due to its financial position,” Buncamper-Molanus said.
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