Minister Julinek promises better times for the health sector

An additional 13 billion crowns should be available for medical treatment in 2008 thanks to the new regulations which will come into effect next year, Health Minister Tomas Julinek told reporters on Thursday. Heath care insurers will release more money for treatment and doctors and hospitals should gain further money – approximately 4 billion crowns – from patients’ cash payments, Julinek said. The health minister has promised that doctors will be better paid and patients better taken care of but there is still considerable opposition to his planned reforms from both doctors and patients. Doctors are opposed to the idea of having to collect cash in person and critics say that some people will simply not be able to afford the care they need.