Dental care support for hundreds of millions of kronor was paid out incorrectly in 2021 – when dentists submitted information that did not match.
This is written by representatives of the Social Insurance Inspectorate (ISF) on DN Debatt.
The authority has investigated how the support was paid out in 2021, and estimates that between six and seven percent of the money was paid out incorrectly during the year – often without anyone noticing.
Now, ISF is requesting more comprehensive controls, as well as penalties in the form of direct costs for dentists who make mistakes.
"Today, it is largely risk-free for dentists to report more extensive measures than they have actually performed. If they are caught, they will receive a deduction in their compensation corresponding to the incorrect payment, but rarely any other penalty", write Eva-Lo Ighe and Lisa Carlsson, general director and project leader at ISF.
Currently, dentists only need to send a few details to the Insurance Agency to receive the support, and the payments are then made automatically in most cases. According to ISF, the Insurance Agency detects less than a tenth of the estimated incorrectly paid-out funds.
Senior Minister for Elderly Care and Social Insurance Anna Tenje (M) says that the Insurance Agency should be given expanded opportunities to work preventively.
