Romanian Doctors Invited To Talks At Health Ministry

The talks will be attended by health minister Ion Bazac and the president of the national health insurance house Irinel Popescu.

According to official sources, health insurance house manager Eduard Armeanu resigned six days ago after he failed to convince the institution’s management of the need to assign more funds to primary medicine. The same sources said his resignation was accepted Friday.

At the end of last week, Romanian family doctors countrywide threatened to close down their cabinets as of April 1, for an unlimited period, until concrete negotiations with respect to the frame contract on the provision of healthcare services in 2009.

The National Family Medicine Society (SNMF) and the National Family Doctors’ Employers Association (PNMF) said Sunday in a press release that the representatives of the country’s Health Ministry, National Health Insurance House, Family Medicine Society and Doctors’ Employers Association held no talks whatsoever with respect to the frame contract and the norms enforcing it in 2009.

Romanian family doctors unanimously decided Saturday not to sign the frame contract on the provision of healthcare services in 2009, which forces patients to pay for examinations, compensated medicine prescriptions and medical tests starting April 1.

Family doctors refused to sign the contract, saying it leaves out their proposals and includes stipulations that breach both their rights and the Constitution.