Buzek to receive report on health reform with 22 problems already cited

The report names 22 problems in the reform, including the Social Insurance Company (ZUS) for not forwarding premiums for health care. The reform is supposed to be based around family doctors in order to limit spending on hospitals and specialists. In the meantime, 3.8 million people have been admitted to hospitals during the first 6 months of 1999, compared to 5.4 million during all of 1997. The Ministry admits that no solution has been found for the problem of financing highly complex operations, such as transplants or open-heart surgeries. The report also names 19 positive aspects of the reform, such as limiting the rapid increase in hospital debts and regular payments for medicines by patient funds. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 1)