Prague - The Czech Chamber of Deputies approved a reform package that brings the most important changes to the Czech health care system in the last 20 years.
The reform, masterminded by Health Care Minister Leoš Heger, will raise fees for health care services - for example, people will pay CZK 100 (approximately four euro) for every day they spent in hospital. Presently, they pay CZK 60. Also, drugs worth less than CZK 50 (two euro) will no longer by covered by the health insurance.
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It is estimated that the reform will allow the state to collect CZK 8bil (EUR 330mil) more next year.
However, the increase of VAT and salaries in health care sector (doctors and nurses) will cost more than CZK 10bil (EUR 410mil).
"We want a reform with no volcano eruptions and quakes the health care system has been accustomed to recently," said Heger before the vote in the lower chamber of the Czech parliament.
His reform was under extreme pressure by Czech labor unions as well as the opposition Social Democratic Party and Communist Party. However, the government refused to withdraw the bill proposal.
Eventually, 105 deputies voted in favor of the reform, 73 against. The Chamber of Deputies have 200 members.
Two-speed health care?
The opposition argued that the reform will divide the health care into two branches - one for the rich, another for the poor. "It is not fair. Stop scaring people by telling them the (health) care will be limited," reacted the minister.
"You must understand that the health care is developing and it is more expensive," added Heger.
However, even the Prime Minister's human rights deputy, Monika Šimůnková, says that the reform will "exact heavy social toll" on disabled or chronically ill people.
Also, the chamber of deputies overrode the Senate's veto of the so-called minor pension reform. The Senate, controlled by the opposition Social Democrat, vetoed the bill, but the chamber of deputies eventually forced it through nonetheless, with 105 votes in favor.
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