Warning about the future of health care of lawyers of Madrid and their families.

-47,000 lawyers and their families affected by a change in the medical service

-an economic environment of more than EUR 27 million in health premiums with an uncertain destination

Madrid, November 2011- A large and prominent group of lawyers from the Association of Madrid (ICAM) is mobilized against a proposal by Dean Hernandez Gil to change the service doctor described as dark and lacking transparency.

The platform, alleged that the entire process has developed with the utmost secrecy, without participation of the Group of lawyers of Madrid, in a way that the first news about the change is coming these days to the members. They are redoubling efforts to halt the vote and the opening of a transparent and participatory process at the College. In any case, in his opinion, the call is illegal and the hypothetical agreement would also be null and void since it is not provided to the members any of the information which are necessary to give informed consent, which would lead to his immediate challenge.

affected 47,000 and more than 27 million euros in premium

The medical service of the EMCI is an institution highly appreciated by a collective of 60,000 lawyers and today has more than 47,000 beneficiaries who enter EUR 27 million in premiums annually.

Born in 1954 as the response of professionals that mostly lacked another way to cover your health care, today it is a service that provides an acceptable health care at prices up to 40% lower than other similar offers in the market. In fact, for large segments of the Group may be the only alternative to receive health care already which – by age or purchasing power – would have difficulties to go to tenders in market conditions.

Without information or previous discussions, the lawyers are called to vote on the proposal next Monday 7 of November 2011. The College has not given reason of is also unexplained urgency, what needs to be added to the radical lack of transparency that presides over the process.

Restless for change without explanation prominent professionals

Without transparency not, medical service with a future for all ”, is a movement of members engaged in a strictly apolitical presentation, that moving to a proposal which lacks the less transparency and whereas, therefore, is endangering the health care of lawyers of Madrid and their families.

Some are well-known people in the Group and are represented most of the trends that are recognized in this institution. A history of service in the College as Javier Cremades, Pablo Jiménez of Parga, Gerardo Viada, Pedro Garcia, Ramón Pelayo, Julio Padilla, or Fernando Lopez Orozco; other representatives of the young lawyers in the last decade as Jaime Aranzadi, Ana Ferrer Sama or Angel García Moreno. Alongside them there are already hundreds of colleagues that have joined them receive information about what is at stake.

In this case all participating interest in the medical service as a separate college issues service, and a firm claim to address this important issue without secrecy with transparency and real information for the members.

Initially they intended to paralyze this strange process and reopen one transparent and participatory, while protecting the heritage of the College and the collegiate rights and ensure a medical service with a future for all.

In view of this group, says Fernando López-Orozco, former Treasurer of the ICAM: medical service settings are necessary likely that circumstances are changing, but the proposal does not refer to the solution of such issues, but to move the service outside of the school and remove control that these have on the service and their contributions to the collegiate ”. This happens for López-Orozco, , without explaining the current problems, nor the purported solutions, or who is intended the heritage of the service in the future. Even provides the statutes of such mutual, the names of their administrators or the conditions in which you may incorporate the collegiate. A change of this depth cannot be realized without transparency, participation and back to the collective. Many members have not even received news ”.

proposal hides important effects for lawyers and their families

other members of the platform highlights, the proposal of the Gil Hernández Dean to transform the medical service in a mutual insurance fixed premium, non-profit, which can extend its activity at the national level and to other groupsIt is presented as if it changed nothing but hides important effects for the members and their families. In any case there is no raise a decision of this draft with a notice of two or three weeks, without prior discussion or any information, which in addition – to the lack of transparency – a reproach special to prevent a process truly participatory and cooperative ”.

As raised by the current Board of Directors of the ICAM, shall provide itself with the new entity with an amount close to the 6.2 million euros including the property of 500 square meters of a unique building in the golden mile ” in Serrano Street in Madrid, amount deemed subject to refund if dissolved the mutual. Dean proposed the return of the 6.2 million if it dissolves the mutual.

However, the platform denounced proposal hides what comes out of the EMCI is a heritage that is several tens of millions of euros, which includes a complete organization and a portfolio of 47,000 beneficiaries with incomes exceeding EUR 27 million of premiums, which will be also portfolio for other insurance other ramos, as expected the agreement to be voted on.

Disgust and reasons for the affected

collective of affected identifies a very high risk for medical assistance to lawyers and relatives in Madrid in case follow this initiative of the current Dean and emphasizes the following points that are set out in detail in the web page www.sos-serviciomedico-icam.com, the ICAM remains hidden the following information:

-not reported or the real value of the heritage disappears ” of the ICAM and will appear ” in an entity other than that little or nothing is said: that real value is not reported, nor are established controls over what comes out, on his return or final destination. Referred to 6.2 million euros, but in reality it’s tens of millions of Euros (several billions of pesetas).

– not specific, nor reports on the actual recipient of this important heritage

-No there are statutes, administrators, directors, conditions to become or cease to be mutualistic, controls the members on benefits and contributions from other groups, etc.

– is particularly relevant to not be report to the members on the loss of their rights associated with the proposal, or conditions that may be incorporated in the future, (it says will determine) or what controls are provided so that they and not others continue controlling the service, their benefits and their contributions.

– are not detailed or explain the real problems of the medical service in the current

– Neither detailed nor explains any purported Business Plan, involving a purported solution to future that can be appreciated by the members as the real solution that respects their rights.

-not made clear who is the last real beneficiary of this process or the status of the Directorate General of insurance.