Parents of young children treated at Mater Dei Hospital were wrongly billed after being informed by staff that the state would no longer cover their treatment.
Dozens of non-EU workers were shocked when they were told they had to pay hundreds of euros for their sick children’s care, despite paying National Insurance contributions.
Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela intervened to ensure the hospital continued providing free health care after what one health source described as a “mix up”.
As a rule, third country nationals who work in Malta and their dependants are entitled to free health care after working and paying National Insurance in Malta for a year.
But some of those who visited the hospital in recent days were told by officials at the hospital’s billing section that the rules had changed and their dependents would no longer be covered by the state for hospital consultations and treatment.
Milica Dokic, a mother of two from Serbia who has lived in Malta with her husband for 10 years, was among those affected.
She said she was alarmed when she was charged for the treatment of her sick seven-month-old child at the emergency department last week.
“I took my baby to the emergency room after she got a high fever. We have been to the hospital before, and because we work and pay taxes in Malta, we have never been asked to pay for our children’s hospital visits,” she said.
“That’s why I was so shocked when I was told we would now have to pay.”
It costs a minimum of €250 for a visit to Mater Dei Hospital for those who are not covered by the national health service.
Correspondence seen by Times of Malta shows health minister Jo Etienne Abela clarifying that the dependents of non-EU workers must be given free care.
“Third country nationals who have worked in Malta for more than 12 months and paid the necessary contributions will not be charged for treatment in our NHS,” Abela wrote to Mater Dei Hospital management.
“It is to be assumed that any dependents of such TCNs, i.e. dependents living in Malta lawfully, are to enjoy the above benefits (as their parent/s),” the correspondence continues.
“This is the interpretation of the prevailing regulations that I shall be responsible for as Minister for Health and Active Ageing and which I expect to be followed,” he said.
Steve Ellul, manager of Mater Dei's Contract Management and Revenue Department, confirmed that "further to the latest review of the procedures at Billing" third country nationals "who are lawfully residing in Malta and have paid a minimum of 12 contributions, cover themselves and their dependants for 'Free Healthcare'".
It is unclear who made the decision to deny free healthcare.
It is understood those who have already paid but were entitled to free care will be refunded.
MDH CEO Keith Attard told Times of Malta "the directions from the ministry and MDH are clear. If an error occurs, our financial team has a process of tracking and tracing errors".