Lebanon's National Social Security Fund (NSSF) announced on Wednesday the termination of contracts with several hospitals across the country.

The hospitals affected by this decision include Beirut Eye & ENT Specialist Hospital, Arz Hospital, Keserwan Medical Center, Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital, and Al-Irfan Medical Center.

In a statement, NSSF Director-General Mohammad Karaky emphasized that this decision was part of ongoing efforts to address discrepancies within the healthcare sector, particularly concerning hospital billing practices and payment procedures under the NSSF. The terminated contracts are expected to significantly impact the healthcare options available to individuals enrolled in the social security system.

However, Karaky clarified that the decision to terminate contracts would not apply to dialysis, chemotherapy, or radiology departments, which will remain unaffected by the current round of contract cancellations.

To ensure full compliance, Karaky has instructed the NSSF’s Inspection and Monitoring Directorate to conduct a thorough audit of the hospitals whose contracts were terminated. The audits will focus on assessing whether the hospitals are accurately reporting their procedures and whether the wages paid to their staff align with NSSF standards.

Additionally, Karaky issued final warnings to several other hospitals, indicating that failure to comply with NSSF regulations could result in similar action.

The hospitals under scrutiny include prominent medical institutions such as the American University Hospital, Rizk Hospital, Lebanese Geitaoui Hospital, Saint George Hospital, Zahra Hospital, Mount Lebanon Hospital, Saint Charles Hospital, Al-Maounat Hospital, Bhanis Hospital, Bellevue Medical Center, Our Lady of Lebanon Hospital, Saint Martin Hospital, El-Youssef Medical Center, Al Habtoor Hospital, Batroun Hospital, and Najjar Hospital.

These hospitals have been given a final opportunity to rectify their billing and reporting practices, with the potential for contract termination if no improvements are made.