Health Minister unveils changes to system of healthcare payments

Health Minister Tomas Julinek has unveiled his plan to introduce a number of direct payments for healthcare services. The reform proposes a 30-crown fee (about 1.5 USD) for each visit to the doctor's as well as for individual prescriptions. Patients should also pay 60 crowns for each day spent in hospital or a similar facility. According to Minister Julinek, the changes are meant to reduce the number of unnecessary medical examinations, visits to the doctor's and curb the squandering of medicines.

According to statistics, the average Czech sees his or her doctor 13 times a year which is twice the European average. The Czech Republic also leads in the consumption of prescription drugs. According to estimates, drugs worth up to 10 billion crowns are withdrawn from pharmacies every year to be never used by patients. Minister Julinek would like to see the changes in place as of January next year.