Czech Health Spending To Rise 10.1% In 1995

The Czech Republic's draft budget for health care in 1995 is a provisional 7.6 billion koruna ($271.5 million), up 10.1% on 1994, reports the CTK news agency's Business News. 4 billion koruna will go to the state and 3.6 billion koruna to districts and municipalities for the provision of health care services.

CTK Business News also reports that Slovak output of chemicals and medicines rose 4% in the first seven months of 1994 over the like, year-earlier period.

Moreover, it notes, the government plans to introduce legislation to curb exaggerated advertising claims for medicines. And Health Minister Ludek Rubas has criticized doctors for prescribing high-priced medicines, noting that health care costs have almost doubled in the past four years. However, he noted that patient satisfaction with health care has risen and health indices are improving, although reform has been hampered by fears that a transition period could mean a fall in health care standards.