Czech doctors against lifting of medical fees

Five Czech doctors’ associations with about 17,000 members have called on the five parliamentary political parties not to abolish medical fees, introduced early this year as part of the government’s fiscal reforms. The doctors say the fees have been successful in limiting the numbers of patients seeking medical help, which allows the medics more time for treating each patient. They also claim that hardly any patients complain about the amount they have to pay per visit, which is 30 crowns, or less than two U.S. dollars.

The fees have been criticized by the opposition Social Democrats and Communists as well as by some MPs of the coalition Christian Democrats and Greens. Last week, however, the Constitutional Court ruled that the fees do not contradict the Czech Constitution.