Unlawful Practices Persist in Private Healthcare Facilities
A recent report issued by the National Human Rights Council has shed light on the ongoing illegal practices within various private healthcare facilities in Morocco. The report highlights a troubling trend where patients are often compelled to pay doctors' fees outside of official invoices, a practice referred to as "nawar". This information was released in the council's annual report covering the years 2024-2025, which was published today.
The report indicates that this practice continues to generate numerous complaints from citizens, who are required to pay the doctors directly without receiving any documentation to prove the payment. Furthermore, these fees are not included in the total bill for medical services provided at the clinic. The prevalence of this issue varies across different private clinics, with the amounts demanded depending on the type of medical intervention, sometimes reaching thousands of dirhams. Moreover, there is often no established price framework or clear reference for these payments, leading to arbitrary pricing decisions.
The council has asserted that such practices are clear violations of the legal provisions governing the healthcare sector. It has called upon health authorities to intervene and put an end to these practices due to their detrimental effects on patients' rights and the transparency of transactions within private healthcare institutions.
Additional Concerns Regarding Treatment Compensation Systems
In addition to the issues surrounding "nawar", the report also notes persistent deficiencies in the treatment compensation system. These include the inadequacy of the reference pricing used for compensating insured patients, as well as the troubling trend of private clinics requiring patients to submit a check as a guarantee before receiving treatment. This practice, despite being legally prohibited, creates an additional barrier for many citizens in accessing their right to healthcare, especially in emergency situations or for low-income individuals.
The report points out that there is a lack of effective and accessible mechanisms for insured individuals to lodge complaints, alongside a general inadequacy in enforcing legal actions against those who violate healthcare regulations and infringe upon individuals' rights to treatment. Furthermore, the national reference pricing for healthcare services has not been updated since 2006. Insurance funds calculate reimbursements based on a fixed rate of 80 dirhams for a general practitioner consultation and 150 dirhams for a specialist, rates that no longer reflect the actual cost of healthcare services.
This situation often forces patients to pay amounts that far exceed these established rates to the treating physician, who receives their full fees outside of the approved compensation system, further exacerbating the financial burdens faced by insured individuals.
As reported by assabah.ma.
