The liquidation of the AMKA puts order in the anarchous landscape: Who lose free medical care

The upgrade of the electronic systems of HEDIKA lit the green light for the thousands elimination process. Some will lose the free. There may have been concerns from pharmacists, but without problems it happened on Sunday (31/03) the upgrading of the AMKA Information System – UMES bringing a number of changes to medical care. The electronic prescription system has functioned normally throughout the day, according to the chairman and CEO of HEDICA, Niki Tsuma. “We uploaded the new version of AMKA and we had no problem. Especially the prescription worked all day”, she noted speaking to iatropedia.gr. The upgrade made to electronic systems is expected to bring about radical changes, which will lead to two significant results: there will be clearing and disabling all Social Security Register Numbers (AMKAs) that no longer correspond to actual beneficiaries of free insurance there will be a tightening of the deposit of supporting documents for the issue of new ones. According to Ms. Niki Tsuma, the new AMKA will now be divided into “active” and “inactive”. “There will be from now on ‘active’ and ‘inactive’ AMKAs and existing and future social security registration numbers. Of course, let us make it clear that this is not about the citizens who live in the country and are insured and active. It’s about people who went through the country at some point, worked, pulled out an AMKA, and then left and live in another country. These figures to date have not been deleted”, points out the President of the COURT. Why is he getting in order? The state through the clearance of the AMKAs and the interoperability of the information systems of the Ministry of Migration Policy, the Citizens Register and the DENMARK, is trying to put order in an anarchist landscape to date, which has brought about “exploitation” of pharmaceutical expenditure. Specifically, there are currently thousands of active AMKAs of people found in our country at some point, worked and then left abroad, without closing their insurance. Many of them today live and work in neighbouring countries, and while not having a legal relationship with the country, they come only to prescribe drugs or undergo procedures and examinations in the NIS, as (albeit) uninsured. Through the “household” in the social security social security funds the Ministry of Health estimates that it will save hundreds of thousands of euros. The control of pharmaceutical expenditure, moreover, was one of the first commitments of the Minister of Health, Adoni Georgiades when the Ministry of Health took over, but also a request from pharmaceutical companies and diagnostic centres. This is because, when public expenditure is exceeded for medicines and examinations of uninsured citizens, businesses are obliged to return these funds to the State through the clawback system. The Health Ministry assures that this process will not affect the social security funds of the actual beneficiaries and those who must continue to have access to healthcare. How the liquidation will take place The next period the Ministry of Labour will invite all uninsured citizens by the end of the year to visit the nearest JEP in their area and provide supporting documents confirming their place of residence. If someone does not complete this process in the prescribed time, their social security card will automatically become inactive and together, the right to free medical coverage in Greece. In particular, in accordance with the Joint Ministerial Decision (MFA) signed at the beginning of the year, the AMA shall be deactivated when any of the following criteria is not met: (a) legal residence or (b) access to the labour market or (c) actual residence in the country, other than minor beneficiaries or (d) if the IMMA of the directly insured person is disabled, in case of indirectly insured adults or minors. In the event of deactivation of the AMA, holders may once activate it temporarily for 30 days, within which they should provide the necessary documentation for its reactivation. Through this process it will ultimately prove how much the real active social security funds in the country are. How to issue new social security benefits Meanwhile, the upgrade made to the IT systems of EDDIA is also about the issuance of new ITDs, which is being tightened from now on. The new electronic system will now accept a series of supporting documents and attestations (identity or passport, certification of place of residence), confirming that the person actually lives permanently in the country and can have free insurance. As reported in the CYA, there is a separation in cases of the issue of AMS to Greek citizens, citizens of EU countries, citizens of third countries and stateless persons. In more detail, the following supporting documents are required per case: 1. For issuing AMKAs to Greek citizens or expatriates It is required as an excuse for legal residence, access to the labour market and inclusion in the social security system, identity card or Greek passport. 2. For the issue of AMS to citizens of Member States of the European Union It shall be required as evidence of legal residence, access to the labour market and entry into the social security system, identity card or passport of a Member State of the European Union in force. 3. For the issue of AMS to citizens of third countries and stateless persons It shall be required as evidence of legal residence, access to the labour market and entry into the social security system, a third country passport in force or a travel document entitled to international protection in force and a residence permit in the country, with the right to access the labour market in force. For those who objectively do not have a passport, beneficiaries of international protection and beneficiaries of temporary protection, the residence permit in the country is sufficient with the right to access the labour market in force. In addition, it is clarified that, by decision, special provision is made for vulnerable groups of populations, such as homeless people and asylum seekers. For asylum seekers, an international protection application form shall automatically issue a Temporary Number of Insurance and Health Care for Aliens (PAAPA), which shall ensure that healthcare is provided. If the asylum application is accepted, PAAUPA is converted into AMKA, while, if the application is rejected, PAAUPA is automatically deactivated. For homeless persons, provision has been made for proof of residence to be sufficient to certify the use of the services by a hypnotic or attestation by the social service of the municipality or by the Community Centre. By Gianna Soulaki / Source: iatropedia.gr