Family doctors in Romania are expressing their discontent with a proposal by the National House of Health Insurance to cut funding for family medicine by 30%, which will come into effect on 1 February, Euractiv reports.
Health workers are threatening to protest and even resign in retaliation. More than 100 family doctors from the Mures district have already held a two-hour protest in front of the prefecture building on Tuesday, Agerpres reported. Their demand was to keep health care rates at the level set in the last quarter of 2023.
Some 4,000 family doctors are over 65 years old, and some of them have spoken out in favour of retirement if the proposed 30 per cent cut is implemented. A doctor said:
“The underfunding is drastic, and it is very difficult to sustain our practices – we cover absolutely everything, staff salaries, contracts, invoices, cleaning staff salaries.”
Older doctors are also contemplating retirement, which could exacerbate the existing shortage crisis in family medicine. As an alternative, the authorities are considering an option in which the cost of treatment would be partly paid by patients.
The management of the National House of Health Insurance (CNAS) argues that the institution’s budget is limited and must be equitably distributed among all health care providers. Additional funds will be allocated during the budget adjustment, Health Minister Alexandru Rafila said.
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu has assured that “no medical office will be closed.” He hopes that the newly appointed president of CNAS, a family doctor, will start negotiations with his colleagues.
MP Oana Cambera, vice-president of the REPER party, emphasises that these cuts affect medical staff and “have a very negative impact on patients, especially those with middle and low incomes”.
