ZAGREB, Feb 6 (Hina) - The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH) has opposed Health Minister Andrija Hebrang's announcement of cancellation of additional health insurance, stating the decision will affect sick and
elderly people, especially pensioners with low income.
ZAGREB, Feb 6 (Hina) - The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of
Croatia (SSSH) has opposed Health Minister Andrija Hebrang's
announcement of cancellation of additional health insurance, stating
the decision will affect sick and elderly people, especially
pensioners with low income.#L#
The announced decision means that the weak, sick and old will have to
pay more for health services or will not be allowed to use them, the
SSSH said in a statement.
The claim that additional health insurance, which in itself is a blow
to the living standards of pensioners and people with low income, is
the cause of the huge increase in health spending and consumption of
medicines, has not been substantiated with publicly available data,
the union said in a statement.
"Does the rash announcement of replacing additional health insurance
with private insurance mean that the new government has opted for
reintroducing the cynical concept of health policy where the right to
health care is enjoyed by those who have money?" reads the
statement.
The union considers the minister's decision unacceptable also because
it annuls the practice of dialogue and cooperation between the
authorities and social partners with regard to issues of public
interest.
The right to health is a universal human right, which in a civilised
society must not depend on the individuals' financial status, the
union said.
(Hina) rml