Many statutory health insurance doctors want to leave the UWV. Providers’ backlogs are so large that people often have to wait a year to receive benefits. Insurance doctors believe they can do better as an independent service. Novag says this in Trouw. Approximately half of the physicians with legal health insurance are members of this association.
“We cannot judge people at the right time,” answers Novag president Wim van Pelt in NOS Radio 1 Journaal. “Too much time is spent on inefficient processes and management. Concretely, this means that the backlog is getting bigger and bigger.”
In some cases, it is now taking twice as long for people to receive benefits. In a statement on his website, Novag writes that the implementation of social security in general is in danger.
shortage of doctors
“The situation has now reached a point where the minister is forced to take illegal measures and people are given social benefits without checking whether they are entitled to them,” says Van Pelt. According to him, occupational disability insurance for the self-employed cannot be introduced due to long waiting lists at the UWV.
The main reason for the backlog is the growing shortage of doctors. Van Pelt says doctors there have to deal with a lot of administrative procedures. This is because more than one doctor needs to view the files. “It would be much more efficient if the same doctor looked at the file.”
In a new organization, doctors want to give priority to the doctor. Current managers are said to focus too much on quantity and efficiency. “Quality often comes second,” writes the Novag board of directors. “If we publish these medical reports outside the UWV, doctors can regain control over the content,” Van Pelt says. He thinks the new way of working also makes the insurance medicine profession more attractive to beginners.
fragmentation
The new organization will be separate from the UWV but not separate from the government. Novag wants to discuss this issue in the coming months, including with politicians. Van Pelt doesn’t see any changes at UWV. “We have been talking for years. “We have already suggested this, but we are sticking to the current line.”
UWV is aware that there are problems. The agency says that “the mismatch between supply and demand in social medical assessments has increased significantly.”
However, UWV does not see a solution in a new service. This would be the dismantling of an “already very complex” system. UWV says it is working with the ministry, doctors and other parties to reduce the backlog.
Source: NOS
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
