New era of 'paid reports' for family physicians: Legislative proposal submitted

A legislative proposal containing amendments to the Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law has been submitted to the Speaker of the Parliament.

The legislative proposal also includes regulations concerning family physicians.

With the amendment to the Family Medicine Law, family medicine services will be free of charge, excluding services provided to foreigners, traditional and complementary medicine practices offered outside of working hours, and special-purpose reports determined by the Ministry.

FAMILY MEDICINE REPORTS ARE BECOMING PAID

Family physicians will now be able to provide services to citizens for a fee outside of working hours. A co-payment will be required if patients go to a hospital without visiting their family physician first.

Primary healthcare services provided to foreign nationals will be subject to a fee. Certain reports obtained from family physicians, such as those for driver's licenses, will also become paid services.

According to the report on TV100, family medicine services, excluding emergencies, will be performed within the working hours requested by the relevant family physician and approved by the local health administration, provided that they are not less than 40 hours per week and within the conditions determined by the Ministry.

The revenues collected from the tariffs determined by the Ministry for these services will be transferred to an account to be opened for this purpose in the revolving fund enterprises of the provincial health directorates.

THE MINISTRY WILL DETERMINE

The criteria for spending the revenues collected in this account for the provision of health services, as well as the amounts that can be distributed to the family physician and family health worker, including their use for family health center expenses, will be determined by the Ministry upon the favorable opinion of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance.

Data sharing will be possible with funds established for the personnel of the Social Security Institution (SGK) and banks, insurance and reinsurance companies, chambers of commerce, chambers of industry, stock exchanges, or unions formed by them.

News Source: 12punto