Idec denies collecting honorary physician to monitor delivery

Doctors will be able to charge fee to track deliveries. An opinion of the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) allows obstetricians to collect specific value conveniadas directly from patients to health plans that want to monitor the professional who made the pre-natal, delivery day. The lawyer of the Brazilian Consumer Defense (IDEC), Joana Cruz, challenges the measure and says the insured is entitled to coverage for the entire procedure, ranging from prenatal childbirth, without additional payment.

According to CFM, physicians insured plans receive only the queries and the procedure of delivery, and not monitoring the delivery, which in the case of a normal delivery can last up to ten hours of uninterrupted, nor that it is done by the same professional accompanying the pregnant prenatal.

In the opinion of Idec, can not charge a fee of pregnant women. The lawyer explains that the patient is expected to give birth to the doctor accompanying the pregnancy from the start. The practice and the expectation is that the doctor who makes the prenatal, also do delivery. And if the patient is paying extra for coverage that is hired, it becomes a price change that is not in the contract and represents an extremely onerous obligation.

The council argues that it is not double recovery "because the physician will receive only the patient" and that payment of the amount is optional. "Pregnant women who prefer not to have this type of monitoring will have her attending obstetrician on duty in accredited maternity or referenced by the service without paying any extra value.

However, Joana Cruz advises the patient to pay the amount seek redress with the health plan. If the pregnant woman pay, she first has to search the plan [for compensation]. If not, should seek Procon or the Judiciary. The CFM recommends compensation.

The opinion was requested by the National Health Agency (ANS), which analyzes the document now.

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