Minister Discusses Funding Options for Pay Raises in Health Care Sector
Social Affairs Minister Hanno Pevkur said he is looking for ways to come up with an additional 3.5 million euros required to raise salaries for resident physicians and ambulance workers - an outcome of the recent health care workers' strike.
One option is to scrap a plan to raise unemployment allowances from 65 euros to 145 euros next year, the minister told ETV in an interview.
Another idea would be to bump up patient co-payment fees, something that the minister has agreed not to do in a memorandum of understanding with the unions.
Nevertheless, the minister suggested that, to adjust for inflation, appointment fees would likely rise from 3.20 to 5 euros, and overnight hospital stays from 1.60 euros to 2.50 euros.
Pevkur said the portion of the social tax that goes to the Health Insurance Fund, 13 percent of gross salaries, has long been insufficient to cover the costs of the nation's health care system.
Under the agreement that ended the strike last week, most of the money for minimum wage raises for doctors, nurses and caregivers is supposed to come from the Health Insurance Fund's budget and the state budget. Since costs will exceed allocations in 2013, however, the Hospitals Association has agreed to cover the difference with its own funds.