Pensioners unable to pay for healthcare

THOUSANDS of pensioners have stopped visiting the doctor and buying medicine following a reduction in their benefits and after new charges for healthcare were implemented.

Speaking after a meeting of the Elders’ Parliament Health Committee on Wednesday, chairman Takis Agathocleous said that many pensioners are living below the poverty line.

The committee repeated its demand for the speedy implementation of a national health plan.

“We all have to pay a fee for medicine or to undergo medical examinations, but there are thousands of people who do not visit their doctor because they don’t have the money to pay the doctor or to purchase medicine,” he said.

Agathocleous said he believes pensioners suffering from a chronic disease should be exempt from paying for prescription medicine or from paying specialist doctors (€6) or general practitioners (€3).

The elders have also demanded that their files be digitised and stored on computer to prevent them from being lost. The Ministry of Health has committed to fully digitising files within a year.

Healthcare for the elderly will be the subject of the Elders’ Parliament plenum which will take place on November 9.

 

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