Call from the TTB: 'Hospital fee hikes must be withdrawn'

The Central Council of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) has reacted to the hikes in patient examination fees. In a statement issued by the TTB, it was demanded that the increases, which range from 200% to 542.8%, be withdrawn.

"We call on the Social Security Institution (SGK) Board of Directors, which includes representatives of workers, civil servants, tradespeople, and retirees, to withdraw these hikes that make access to healthcare services more difficult," the statement said, adding the following:

"While no statement has been made by the SGK regarding the matter, the Ministry of Health's 'Sağlıklı Çözüm' (Healthy Solution) account explained the justification for the SGK's hike as 'aiming to ensure that applications to health institutions and organizations are made to the necessary extent.' Examination co-payments were regulated under the Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law No. 5510 with the justification of 'preventing unnecessary use.' However, while the number of physician visits per capita in Turkey was 6.8 in 2008, when the law came into effect, it reached 11.4 in 2023 according to the latest statistics. As can be seen, examination co-payments do not 'prevent unnecessary use,' but rather create a serious burden for poor patients.

'FOR OUR ELDERLY AND POOR PATIENTS...'

In these days when even the Turkish Statistical Institute admits that as of 2023, 30.7% of the population is at risk of poverty or social exclusion, nearly 20 million citizens living in approximately 5 million households are trying to survive on social assistance, and our people are experiencing serious problems with nutrition, housing, and livelihood, these exorbitant hikes in examination co-payments will especially hinder our elderly and poor patients with chronic illnesses from accessing healthcare services. Furthermore, the fact that examination co-payments will be applied with a 50% discount for patients who go to secondary healthcare institutions with a referral from family physicians carries the danger of turning family health centers into 'referral centers' and consequently pitting physicians against patients."