Funds for state-covered health insurance to increase by 4.7 bln

The Czech government on Wednesday approved a plan to increase funds for state-covered health insurance, PM Jiří Rusnok said. The cabinet plants to increase payments for children, retired people and other groups whose health care insurance is covered by the state from the current 723 crowns a month to 773 crowns. That would mean an extra 4.7 billion crowns for the system. Health Minister Martin Holcát had earlier proposed an increase by 7.2 billion. At a time when the lower house of Parliament is dissolved, the caretaker cabinet is planning to ask the Senate to approve the respective legislation.