News 01/09/2002

MAM tight-lipped on Prof. Buhagiar’s fees

By a Staff Reporter

The Medical Association would not comment on the stories published by this newspaper concerning Professor Louis Buhagiar’s habit of charging exorbitant fees citing that "it would not be correct for the MAM to comment publicly on individual cases."

MAM General secretary Martin Balzan told MaltaToday that "there are other appropriate bodies for this purpose."

This newspaper also asked Dr Balzan whether the MAM ever discussed the issue of doctors’ fees with particular reference to fees charged to foreigners requiring medical care in Malta. Over the past few weeks this newspaper has received a number of reports from British emergency medical insurance companies about the extraordinary fees being charged by a number of Maltese doctors, including Prof. Buhagiar, in relation to tourists who require emergency medical help while visiting the island.

In his reply Dr Balzan chose to clarify that the MAM-BUPA agreement reached in 1997 refers to maximum reimbursement by insurers. This means that the fees quoted in the agreement are not binding on doctors but should serve as a guideline. A guideline, which is sometimes stretched over its reasonable limit.

The agreement between the MAM and BUPA expired in 2000 and since both parties have been engaged in talks to renew the agreement. MaltaToday asked Dr Balzan about the status of the negotiations and the reason that was keeping the two parties from finalising the agreement.

Dr Balzan answered: "It is not considered ethical to discuss publicly details of an agreement when there are ongoing negotiations."