Affidea Clinica Atenea, one of the Muface clinics.
Credit: Affidea Clinica Atenea
Great uncertainty surrounds signed-up mutual insurance members and the mutual insurance organisation Muface.
A mutual insurance company, something all autonomos (self-employed) in Spain know, is an insurer that provides collective self-insurance to its members. It has no shareholders and is technically owned and controlled by its members. By pooling risks together in a mutual insurance company, members are able to take control of the extent of their insurance cover and obtain their insurance cover at cost value. Mutual insurance companies do not have external shareholders taking profits out of the business in the form of dividends.
But one such mutual insurance company, Muface, which largely covers civil servants, is under threat from closure, leaving members feeling a little hot under the collar.
If Muface goes under, millions may overwhelm health service
There is a lack of understanding between the government and the insurers that provide services to the mutual insurance organisation, such as DKV, Asisa, and Adeslas, who have been in negotiations to renew their contract with the mutual insurer but have not yet reached an agreement. This has generated great uncertainty among the mutual members, who see the November 5 deadline as a pivotal date.
On November 5, insurers must communicate their decision on whether or not to continue in the agreement they already have. If no party accepts the proposed conditions, Muface could explore agreements with other entities or shut down completely, which is setting off alarm bells among workers.
The potential disappearance of Muface would directly affect more than 1.5 million workers, mostly teachers and civil servants, who would be forced to manage their medical coverage through private insurance or to depend exclusively on the public health service. This could overwhelm the health system, greatly increasing waiting lists and putting pressure on health care resources.
Faced with this possibility, both the government and the insurers are aware of the implications for mutual members, especially for those with ongoing medical treatments. As the deadline rapidly approaches, the government has implemented measures to protect mutual members in case the negotiations do not come to fruition.
