Lebanese Association for Kidney and Hypertension Diseases to collect payments directly from patients

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The Lebanese Association for Kidney and Hypertension Diseases announced on Monday that it would start to collect payments directly from patients as of March 15, 2023.

In a statement, the association said that the decision comes after more than 12 months of delay in receiving the due payments from the concerned parties, resulting in a loss of purchasing power.

The statement added that the association has been unable to meet its obligations towards its families and will be forced to collect payments directly from patients.

The President of the Lebanese Association for Kidney and Hypertension Diseases, Dr. Robert Najem, blamed guarantors for forcing them to make such a decision.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest, Lebanon has been trying to deal with an economic crisis. Particularly heavily struck is the healthcare industry, where many providers are trying to make ends meet.

Every time the dollar increases in value, hospitals and doctors cry out to get their dues from the guarantors, whose value is decreasing day by day due to delayed payments.

The set price for a dialysis session, as determined by the Ministry of Health, is 2.5 million Lebanese pounds, equivalent to around $40, based on the exchange rate of 40,000 LBP per dollar. However, the black market exchange rate for the dollar today has reached 80,000 LBP.

Doctors receive 20% of the cost of a dialysis session, which is around 500,000 LBP, a fee they consider unfair and unjust. This has pushed many doctors to leave the country.

The Minister of Health emphasized, in an interview with LBCI, that the patient is of utmost importance and that he will not allow the patient to bear the expenses. He added that he will work this week with the guarantors, hospitals, and doctors to raise the price in order to find a solution that ensures the patient's interests and the continuation of the doctor's work.

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