Prague, Sept 25 (CTK) – A regular automatic indexation of the health insurance sums the state pays for certain groups of inhabitants is not a sole key to stabilising the funding of health care, Zdenek Kabatek, head of the largest Czech health insurance company, VZP, said on public television yesterday.
Indexation cannot save the healthcare system in case of economic slump, Kabatek said in the Questions of Vaclav Moravec on public Czech Television (CT).
The regular indexation is sought by the Czech Doctors’ Chamber (CLK). It was promised it by Health Minister Svatopluk Nemecek (Social Democrats, CSSD) on Thursday.
Nemecek told the CLK’s extraordinary congress on Thursday that the CSSD will assert automatic indexation at the government.
However, Finance Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) does not agree with it and he interrupted a debate on Nemecek’s proposal in August.
Kabatek said yesterday “it is necessary to perceive other aspects, too. Economic growth need not be unlimited in time,” he said.
He said one of possible instruments to stabilise health care is additional commercial insurance.
Kabatek also said patients should not pay for common amalgam fillings.
The Czech Dental Chamber asked politicians in May to consider the payment. It said the 1.5 billion crowns health insurance companies pay for the fillings annually could be better used in prevention of dental caries.
“Fundamental dental care should be covered by general health insurance,” Kabatek said.
He added that he considers the current system of dental care to be fair.
($1=24.096 crowns)
ms/dr
