15-year-old Igor was referred for an urgent cardiology consultation. The next available date for a visit to the National Health Fund was in two years. – A shocking, actually pathological situation. I asked the National Health Fund to explain this matter – said the Minister of Health, Izabela Leszczyna, in “Tak jest”.
15-year-old Igor has a heart murmur and hypertension. The boy received an urgent referral to a pediatric cardiologist, but – as the boy's mother informed him – the next appointment under the National Health Fund was available in two years. Igor's mother decided to make a private visit. The Minister of Health was asked about this situation in “Tak jest.” Izabela Leszczyna.
See also: 15-year-old Igor was referred for an urgent visit to a cardiologist. Available date – in two years
– A shocking, actually pathological situation. I asked National Health Fund for clarification on this matter, she said.
– It turned out to be a specialist clinic at a large clinical children's hospital in PoznaÅ„. In this clinic, so-called first-time patients are quite rare. This means that this clinic sees the same patients all the time. (…) I know that the National Health Fund intervened to ensure that the clinic contacted the boy's parents and resolved the matter promptly – added the Minister of Health.
“New rules” from January
Asked if health department has a plan to prevent long waits to see a specialist, she replied that she would like “some new rules to come into force from January 1”, especially in cardiology clinics.
– I would call it queue management. This will not only be a degressive rate in clinics, i.e. we will price the first visit better, but the change will also involve the fact that during the first visit, the doctor will be able to perform virtually the entire list of tests, which today are spread over several visits – she explained.
Leszczyna: the financial situation in the National Health Fund is difficult
The minister was also asked about the reimbursement of funds for overperformance in hospitals. Leszczyna replied that the annexes had already reached “basically all hospitals.” – The hospital must sign an annex to the higher contract. If she signs this annex, she immediately sends the bill to the National Health Fund and within a week the money will be paid by the National Health Fund, she said.
– The financial plan of the National Health Fund was prepared by our predecessors. We have already added PLN 21 billion to this plan this year. That means that PIS has not secured the financing of the health care system at all and of course the situation is difficult – admitted the minister.
She said that the deficit in the National Health Fund is approximately PLN three billion. – Unfortunately, we have to find this money in the state budget, there is no money in the National Health Fund because the financial plan was poorly planned. We need to find money in the state budget to pay hospitals for the next quarter of overperformance, and we will do it, assured Leszczyna.
Guest “Yes sir” said that in order to repair the situation in the National Health Fund, hospitals should be “consolidated”, rules for “queuing” in specialist clinics should be found and better patient care should be provided within primary health care (POZ).
Main photo source: PAP