site.btaCITUB Refutes MinistryТs Denial about Draft Medical Payments Ordinance

112 POLITICS - HEALTHCARE - CITUB - MINISTRY - DRAFT

CITUB Refutes MinistryТs Denial
about Draft Medical Payments
Ordinance


Sofia, January 23 (BTA) - The Confederation of Independent Trade
Unions in Bulgarian (CITUB) on Friday refuted claims by the
Health Ministry that no draft ordinance for extra medical
payments by those with insurance existed.

On Thursday, the Health Ministry that CITUB's statement was
based on false information and that the MinistryТs leadership
has never envisaged a possibility for the medically insured to
make extra payments. According to the Ministry's website no such
ordinance exist neither on paper, nor as a concept.

On Thursday, CITUB urged called for the resignation of Health
Minister Peter Moskov over proposed changes in an ordinance on
access to health care. According to the trade union, the
contemplated changes will allow the service providers to charge
patients for services which are supposed to be covered by the
universal medical insurance.

CITUB said that the draft ordinance exists and has been formally
submitted to the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). It has
been received by Ivan Kokalov, leader of the healthcare trade
unions affiliated with CITUB and CITUB's deputy leader, in his
capacity as a member of NHIF's Supervisory Board.

CITUB said they will circulate the draft to the media. LI/PP