Editorial: El País

• The renewal of the Muface agreement generates uncertainty among the 1.5 million Spaniards who receive assistance through this entity.
• The three insurers that signed the previous agreement (Adeslas, Asisa, and DKV) have chosen not to renew it, arguing that the offered premium is not sufficient to cover care costs.
• This conflict reflects the growing difficulty of collaboration between the public and private sector in health matters amid an aging population and rising care costs.
• Muface and equivalent mutual societies for Defense and Justice employees are seen as privileges, as they allow civil servants to opt annually for public or private healthcare.
• The insurers argue that the new rate does not cover costs and includes some additional benefits already offered by the public system.
• A failure in the negotiations would force 1.5 million beneficiaries to switch to public health care, exacerbating the already overburdened situation.

Conclusion: Given the current circumstances, it is necessary to reach an agreement. In the long term, it is evident that this model, which allows access to private healthcare with public money, needs to be reviewed due to the issues of equity and intermediation costs it entails.

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