QCOSTARICA – The EBAIS is the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) system of local clinics, providing health services to communities around the country. The typical EBAIS serves about 4,000 inhabitants on average.
But, the EBAIS inside the Legislative Assembly building with five times the staff of a typical EBAIS provides health services to one quarter of the average, some 1,000 legislature employees (legislators, advisers and other officials).
The number of employees, 25, at the Legislative Assembly EBAIS could staff five clinics around the country. This EBAIS includes four medical doctors (one doctor is on leave for the last 18 months), four clinical psychologists, three nurses, a dentist and his assistant. It has its own administrative structure, that includes a deputy administrator with a Masters in Health Services Administration, an area chief administrator, a budget manager, occupational health coordinator and three dealing with disability issues, in addition to two receptionists.
In fact, the Legislative EBAIS beats out the medical clinic of the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) – Elections Tribunal, that has a staff of four, attending to some 2,000 employees.
The EBAIS at the Supreme Court and annex buildings has a staff of nine, five of whom are doctors, serving some 4,000 employees.
“The payroll of the Legislature is well greased, oversized, an example is the health care. One wonders if the Hospital Calderon Guardia is necessary, being so close (only a few blocks aways),” says Movimiento Libertario legislator, Otto Guevara.
The Partido Accion Cuiadana’s (PAC) legislator, Otton Solis, shares a similar sentiment, calling it “the largest EBAIS in the country”.
Solis added that the Legislature pays twice for health services of their employees because it also has to contribute to the mandatory health insurance system.
Source: La Nacion