Italy: High Earners "Should Quit NHS"

Italian Health Minister Rosy Bindi wants to expel from health service provision people earning over 70 million lire ($46,284) a year. Her call came as Italy's health service moved nearer the center of the tense political debate underway in Rome over the 1997 state budget.

The Health Ministry is now reviewing urgently a range of proposals for a new ticket system of patient charges, which it is understood would be linked directly to income levels. Clarity was expected soon after high-level talks were due to take place last week between Ms Bindi, President Romano Prodi, Treasury Minister Ciampi and Finance Minister Visco.

Apart from issues relating to a hospital ticket plan, Ms Bindi and the government have agreed other proposals now being finalized, including the incompatibility of health service treatment by doctors in hospitals and university clinics with "private professional activity" (Marketletter September 2). Savings of 1,400-1,500 billion lire ($925.6-$991.8 million) are expected to come from totally excluding any funding of private medical activity. New rules will be introduced on diagnostic testing, coupled with price monitoring.