Hungary Seeks Higher Patient Drug Charges

Hungary's Finance Ministry says it favors an increase in the amount paid by patients for drugs in 1997, so that the Health Insurance Fund's 1997 budget targets are met, reports MTI Econews. The Fund's 1997 draft budget allocates 86 billion forint ($570.3 million) for medicine price subsidies, compared to the amended 1996 budget of 76 billion forint.

The Finance Ministry proposes ending the 100% subsidy on drugs for the treatment of certain kinds of illnesses and making the level of income the only criterion for eligibility for free drugs. The number of Hungarians entitled to free medicines rose from 300,000 in 1995 to 550,000 in 1996, say Ministry figures. In the long term, it says, the Fund should provide only partial funding for certain kinds of health services, and foresees a greater role for private health insurance schemes. People who cannot afford private health insurance should be able to apply for support from local councils, it says.

Meantime, national officials have said that Hungarian drugs producers have nothing to fear from the monitoring of their production practices by the European Union to determine whether these practices meet EU regulations, reports MTI Econews. This proposal has been made by Hungary before it becomes a member of the EU.