Health minister wants to increase fees for emergency care

Health Minister Vlastimil Valek wants to increase fees for emergency care, saying that the service is abused by patients on weekends and out of work hours. Valek says that hospitals are overburdened as a result of this practice and is in favour of significantly raising the fee for emergency care to curb the abuse. The proposal is to be put to the government’s National Economic Council for consideration. At present the fee for emergency medical and dental care is 90 crowns.