New Regulations for the Healthcare Sector

The healthcare framework agreement has been made available for public debate.

Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu has called for a far-reaching public consultation that should reflect the views of as many representatives of patients’ associations, private insurance companies and employers’ associations as possible.

Minister Nicolaescu has warned that hospital managers will be immediately sacked if found out that patients still have to buy their own medicine or bribe hospital officials for access to medical care after the new framework agreement comes into effect.

The Romanian official also said audits would be carried out regularly, while managers of hospitals whose debt has been running for three consecutive months would be replaced.

In 2013 the Health Ministry intends to pay off a large part of the outstanding debt overstraining the healthcare sector in recent years. As regards the co-payment upon hospital admission, a system which is due to come into effect on March 1st, the Health Minister said this would amount to a frugal sum of money.

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