By Constantinos Psillides
THE government has set aside €761,000 to subsidise operations for certain patients who have been on waiting lists for more than six months.
The procedures eligible for state the subsidy are: umbilical hernia, bilateral inguinal hernia, unilateral inguinal hernia, total knee arthroplasty and cataract phacoemulsification.
Nearly 1,500 patients will be offered the subsidy to help pay for private treatment. The move is also expected to speed up operations for the 1,373 names that will remain on the hospital waiting list for the specified procedures.
Health Minister Philippos Patsalis told a news conference yesterday that long waiting lists were undoubtedly due to the influx of patients from the private to the public sector hospital because of the financial crisis “and given that the existing state hospital infrastructure can meet the needs of only 50 per cent of the population of Cyprus.”
He said waiting lists were generally part of health systems around the world, and that even in countries that have the infrastructure to cover 100 per cent of the population, “there are waiting lists”.
“This measure will bring a drastic reduction in the waiting lists at the lowest possible cost to the ministry of health,” said Patsalis.
“Beyond the practicality of measures that have been taken or will be taken in the immediate future, the focus should be to better serve patients within a reasonable time,” he added.
The ministry’s deputy permanent secretary Dr Christina Yannaki said they would be talking to those patients who have been on the list the longest for the specific operations.
While Yannaki didn’t specify the amount to be reimbursed, she stressed that the patients would be made aware in advance of the full cost and the extent of the subsidy, but no one would be forced to go private, she said.
“We are aiming at better serving the patients, in a reasonable amount of time. Beyond that, this will also serve as a small scale exercise for the planned National Health Scheme. Also, it will show that the public and private sector can work together,” said Yannaki.
The ministry is expected to spend €761,000 to cover the subsidy expense.
Around 1,480 patients are expected to agree, Yiannaki said.
She said the managers of the public hospital would produce a list after which the patients would be contacted.
The patients will then select a physician at a private hospital, have the operation and the hospital will issue an invoice for the government to pay its end of the deal.
No date was announced for the commencement of the scheme, the administration of which must be put out to tender.
