Healthcare : Ponta government promises to IMF: smaller medical service package and higher health contribution “if necessary”

Ponta’s government promises IMF to reduce medical services from the basic insurance package and takes into account the increase of contribution paid by the people to social health insurance.

The latest version of the letter of intention with IMF also mentions the beginning of 2013 as deadline for the application of additional payments following Parliamentary elections in December and the introduction of the health law in Parliament.

The main engagements assumed by Ponta’s government in the health field are:

* Fewer medical services included in the basic health package by the increase of the share of payments and additional private insurance. The implementation of the negative list of medicines and medical services will continue.

* New means will be found to extend the tax basis for social health insurance. Ponta’s government takes into account, if necessary, to increase the contribution to health insurance.

* In 2013 the additional payments will be applied. But not to emergency services.

* Public acquisition system for hospitals will be amended through centralization of offers. All public hospitals will undergo a financial audit and their expenses published on the site of the Health Ministry by October 2012.

* Hospital managers who exceed expense budget will be sanctioned.

* New substances will not be included on list of compensated and free medicines without their cost-efficiency evaluation.

• Until the end of 2012 the new health bill will be sent to Parliament but not before the publication of an impact study of the new law.

• The government admits in the letter with IMF that in Romania health expenses are among the lowest in EU and promises to ensure adequate financing of the system considering future expenses specific of an aging population.

• Money obtained from claw back tax in the first part of 2012 will be used to pay state debts to pharmaceutical companies and to avoid accumulation of new debts in the field.

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