By The Star Staff
Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia announced on Thursday the resignation of Puerto Rico Health Insurance Administration (ASES) Executive Director Edna Marín Ramos, effective Aug. 15.
The official resigned for personal and professional reasons, the governor said.
“Edna Marín Ramos’ commitment to the health of the most vulnerable people is unquestionable,” Pierluisi said. “Under her leadership, the highest Medicaid budget was achieved for a period of five years, including an 85 percent increase in the federal poverty level for beneficiaries in Puerto Rico, responding to the need for a health insurance system that responds to our citizens. I appreciate the time and dedication to public service and I wish you success in your future plans.”
The resignation comes a month after ASES and the Department of Health cleared the way for the imposition of a fine of over $300 million on the MMM (Medicare y Mucho Más) insurers Multihealth, Triple S, Mennonita Health Plan and First Medical, which were contracted under the government Vital Plan, for noncompliance with the plan and later suspended. It also comes after news that many municipalities do not have round-the-clock medical services and complaints about insufficient resources at hospitals.
During Marín Ramos’ tenure at ASES, however, a new Plan Vital MCO contract was approved to increase the reimbursement to doctors and hospitals, which entered into force on Jan. 1. Likewise, she implemented measures to increase the control, monitoring and compliance of the Vital Plan. In addition, in administrative terms, the organizational structure of the public corporation was reassessed, in order to adjust salary scales, which had not been reviewed for the past 20 years.
ASES Assistant Director Roxana Rosario will be running the public corporation on an interim basis starting on Aug. 16.