Some patients at the Doctor Heriberto Pieter Oncology Institute face high costs for uncovered medical procedures, while dealing with their cancer treatment. Despite these difficulties, many highlight the attention and support received by the health center staff.
Patients denounce the slowness with which the National Health Insurance (SeNaSa) authorizes the necessary procedures to treat their illnesses, especially those who live in the interior of the country, who also face long distances and economic limitations.
The long wait has become a true odyssey for Mereces Evangelista Vásquez, a diabetic patient with breast cancer, who could not undergo the tests in the laboratory of the aforementioned health center because the insurance did not complete the necessary procedures in time to correct some documents.
“They are slow with the process, they are slow. Look, today I couldn’t do a study that they sent me to do, because It’s time to do it to me. Before nine in the morning I had to do a laboratory studyso they had to fix my papers. Now I have to look for a ticket again to be able to come again,” said Mercedes, visibly distressed.
For Vásquez, traveling to receive his chemotherapies represents a challenge, due to the weakness and mobility problems that he faces.
Added to the anguish of the diagnosis is the delay in insurance procedures, which often doubles the cost of transportation when you have to return to the health center to repeat the tests from the previous day.
“Every time I come here, I spend a thousand pesos without being able to pay for a taxi, because I can’t walk“Explained Evangelista to reporters from El Día, while leaning on the walker he used to get around.
María Núñez, another cancer patient who goes to the health center weekly, faces financial difficulties in paying for some medications and denounces the long waits she must endure while SeNaSa processes her procedures.
“The only bad service is SeNaSa. They last too long. Many times the system crashes and lasts a long timeand one has to wait. We have left here until 9:30 at night since we arrived here at five in the morning. Oncology service is better than SeNaSa,” said Núñez while waiting in the waiting area.
Some procedures are not covered by insurance
Diogeris’ sister, who suffers from liver cancer, indicated that it has been a challenge for the family to cover the expenses of some procedures that are not covered by insurance.
“There are processes such as biopsies that are expensive and can cost 15,000 and 16,000 pesos, and are not necessarily covered by insurance. She has contributory SeNaSa and they performed a biopsy that cost 15,800 and it was not covered. She has a hepatic process and they had to drain her fluid to be able to do that procedure and that cost 16,000 pesos and it didn’t cover it either,” said the relative with a worried face, affected by his sister’s condition.
Patients value Oncology services
Despite the criticisms made of the National Health Insurance (SeNaSa), some patients at the Doctor Heriberto Pieter Oncology Institute maintain that the health center provides them with good service and support, where nurses often guide those affected with cancer at every step.
The person in charge of Human ResourcesBernadette Sánchez explained that they have no influence in SeNaSa, because they have “their own modus operandi.” However, as an institution they comply with providing health services to patients.
