INSS delays more investigations with new doctor’s stoppage

Insureds of the INSS (National Institute of Social Security) with expertise scheduled for this Tuesday (8) went to the agencies and were faced with cancellation of calls caused by a new stoppage of medical experts. The category announced a strike on Tuesday and Wednesday, affecting about 25,000 forensics scheduled per day.

It is the second mobilization of professionals in eight days. On Monday (31), the experts stopped for 24 hours.

At the Glicério branch, in the central region of São Paulo, the investigations affected by the stoppage were rescheduled for about two weeks later. It was the second time that gas station attendant Edinilson Oliveira Aguiar, 38, tried to perform his own, after being run over on Christmas Eve, on December 24th.

On the first attempt, scheduled for January 21, his doctor did not show up for health reasons, he says. This Tuesday, walking with the aid of crutches, Edinilson returned home again without being examined. The examination was rescheduled for February 22. Until then, the gas station attendant remains without income and without the service required for the granting of sickness benefit. “It’s neglect. I was only informed of the strike when I arrived at the scene. They say there’s nothing to be done.”

Those who are not served due to the stoppage of activities must have the expertise rescheduled by the INSS itself until noon of the day following the canceled service, according to INSS Ordinance No. 922, published in September.

The ordinance also establishes that the new appointment date must be available for consultation from 1 pm on the day after cancellation, on the Meu INSS website or app or by phone 135.

In the last stoppage of the experts, on January 31, the INSS reported that its servers were rescheduling the service at the agency. The agenda, however, had a new vacancy only for more than 15 days after the original date, which prolongs the wait for payment of the sickness benefit.

Expertise is required for benefits such as sick pay, accident aid, pensions for permanent disability or for people with disabilities and BPC (Benefit of Continued Benefit) for people with disabilities in a situation of social vulnerability.

According to the ANMP (National Association of Expert Doctors), the mobilization is made after unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with the ministry. The main demand of the category is to hold a face-to-face meeting with Minister Onyx Lorenzoni to discuss topics such as a salary readjustment of around 20%.

The experts also claim other changes such as the holding of a contest to fill 3,000 vacancies, equal distribution of appointments between professionals in the morning and afternoon shifts, the right to holidays and recesses without appointments and the end of spaces in the agenda without appointments.​