Beroš presents proposed amendments to health care legislation

The Croatian Health Minister was in parliament on Thursday, where he presented proposed amendments to the health care and mandatory health insurance laws. The two represent the core tenets of the Croatian health care system.

Health Minister Vili Beroš presented to MP’s government’s proposed changes to the legislation dealing with health care and mandatory health insurance. And while the parliamentary majority was quite content with what was presented, the opposition argued that the new amendments will only serve to further degrade Croatia's health care system. SDP Party President Peđa Grbin: "Now we will wait even longer for treatment now, and the existing problems in hospitals will get even worse. The only thing you have done here is to make it easier for you place your HDZ acolytes in the leading positions of the few hospitals you don't already control. You are forcing the citizens of this country to seek out private treatment that they will have to pay for."

"At the same time we are second in terms of mortality. Only Hungary is worse than us. And with this law you are leading us and the health system directly into ruin. It is high time to free the health system from the claws of the HDZ," added Ivana Kekin, and MP from the Green-Left Bloc in parliament.

Responding to the opposition concerns Minister Beroš said that the amendments represent the beginning of the long-awaited healthcare reform: "I have carefully listened to everything you have said today regarding the situation in the Croatian health system, and I can tell you that in part you are right. Politicizing the health issue, putting particular interests above the well-being of patients and health sector workers, is not a good path and definitely does not lead towards much needed change and reforms. Last, but not least, I want to emphasize that our health policy strives to establish a financial balance between the needs of our patients and the realistic capacities of the state and our society."

Source: HRT