CRO HEALTH INSURANCE BUREAU OPENS OFFICES IN VUKOVAR, BELI MANASTI

MANASTI $ R ZAGREB, Oct 8 (Hina) - The Croatian Health Insurance Bureau (HZZO) would on 10 October open its offices in occupied Vukovar and Beli Manastir in eastern Croatia, where Croatian health insurance cards would be issued to local population, HZZO manager Stjepan Turek said on Tuesday. The working premises were ensured by UNTAES, which would also drive employees from Osijek to work every day, Turek said. All insured will have the right to complete health care, but due to lack of specialists in local hospitals and clinics, such health care will be available in the Osijek hospital. The agreement on the opening of the offices was reached after six-month long negotiations with the Serb side, Turek said. Croatian Health Minister Andrija Hebrang pointed out that health budget preparations for next year would have to consider the introduction of the tax on added value which would, according to estimates, increase health costs for 220 million German marks per year. (hina) ha jn 081900 MET oct 96