Romania’s New Medical Leave System Nearly Halved No. Of Leaves Granted Last Year

If 2,972,272 medical leave certificates were granted between January 1 and November 30 in 2009, only 1,649,837 certificates were issued in the same interval in 2010, the ministry said.

"This significant drop in the number of medical leave certificates confirms that the sector had been confronted with fraud. It was inadmissible that about 6% of the national health insurance fund was spent on medical leaves in 2009, many of which were unjustified. We've reconsidered the system to end abuse and ensure medical leave certificates are issued only to people who really need them," Health Minister Cseke Attila said in the release.

Between January 1 and November 30, 2010, family physicians issued 821,184 medical certificates, 51% fewer compared to 1,673,490 certificates issued in the same interval in 2009.

Financial pressure over the national health insurance fund decreased by about 140 million lei (EUR1=RON4.2523) following the introduction of the new medical leave system, the ministry said.

The new system, introduced last year, includes more efficient means to check the issuance of medical leave certificates and doubles fines for fraud in the sector. The new system also allows authorities and employers to check whether the patient on medical leave requires, in fact, medical attention.

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