As in what happens in other state institutions, such as in the Judiciary, the MIC continues to give privileges to its officials despite the economic crisis that the country is going through, mainly due to the covid-19 or new coronavirus pandemic .
The institution continues with the process of contracting comprehensive medical insurance for its around 530 employees, whose monthly cost for each is G. 1 million.
This benefit is renewed year after year through contracts with private sector service providers.
By means of the Public Function law, the payment of G. 1 million for the medical insurance of each official was established as a ceiling, an amount that is strikingly never less in the quotes of the bidders.
Two companies were presented for this specific contract: the first is “Docto SRL” and the second “Santa Clara Prepaid Medicine”. Both firms made offers for the same amount: G. 1 million per month for each insured official.
The difference between these will be determined by compliance with the technical specifications established in the terms and conditions.
“Docto SRL” –which had a recommendation from the Evaluation Committee to be awarded– was rejected by means of a resolution wielded by Minister Luis Castiglioni, for not complying with the established technical requirements.
It is important to note that currently MIC officials are without health insurance since the contract with the previous service provider expired. However, there is a special aid fund in the Ministry of Finance, to grant G. 300,000 monthly to each employee during the period in which they are out of health coverage.
In this regard, the head of the MIC, Luis Castiglioni, told ABC Color yesterday that the bidding process originated in the middle of last year, when the then minister Liz Cramer was still in charge of said state portfolio.
He commented that he received pressure from the institution’s union unions, but that at all times he made it clear that the process would continue its normal course and that the bidders’ proposals would be evaluated accordingly.
Likewise, he mentioned that the contract to be signed with the awarded provider is “open”, which implies that it is paid for the number of people who are included in the insurance, that is, that the final amount to be paid by the Ministry can be lower than the G. 5,550,000,000 established as a ceiling.
