Doctor Consultation Fees Increased by 50%

With the approval of healthcare service tariffs in the first session of the government cabinet in the new year, the consultation fee for doctors has been increased by 50%. According to Mehr News Agency, quoting Reza Lari-Pour, the Technical and Supervision Deputy of the Medical Council Organization, the consultation fee will rise by 50% and will be adjusted in accordance with the country's inflation rate. The Deputy Minister of Health of the Islamic Republic defended the proposal for a 46% increase in medical tariffs on February 6, stating it was to 'compensate for the lag behind inflation' and a 'long-standing demand' of this profession. Saeed Karimi stated in an interview with ISNA that low medical tariffs mean 'taking from the people's pockets.' The government's action to increase the consultation fee by 50% and emphasize the necessity of compensating for inflation for doctors comes at a time when this same government opposes increasing the minimum wage for government employees and workers in line with inflation, having only raised employee salaries by 20% and workers' wages by 35%. Experts believe that compensating for inflation through salary increases is beneficial, but discrimination cannot be made since medical tariffs are also considered a type of wage, and since the payment source is the public and not the government or private sector, it is accepted. Critics believe that increasing medical tariffs raises hospital revenues and somewhat covers the government's budgetary needs, and thus if medical tariffs were to be paid from the treasury, this increase would not have been approved. Protests by nurses in Saqez and Sanandaj, patient confusion, the Inspection Organization stating that 'cash consultation fees' are illegal, and the Health Commission of the Parliament noting that only half of doctors have 'card readers' are also part of the ongoing issues. In Iran, the consultation fee for a 'super-specialist' doctor is three dollars, and the Health Insurance Organization states that 60% of treatment costs are paid 'out of pocket' by the people. A 60% increase in medical tariffs has led to a parliamentary representative stating, 'Do not take revenge on the people.'