Doctors' union goes to Constitutional Tribunal over VIP treatment for MPs

The Polish Doctors' Labor Union (OZZL) has turned to the Constitutional Tribunal for interpretation of a bill which gives about 5,000 people in Poland the status of VIP patient. The union wants the Tribunal to decide whether the regulations giving privileges to certain patients violate the constitution, which is supposed to guarantee equal medical services within the public healthcare system. Under the bill's provisions the 'chosen ones', paying the same insurance, are offered public medical service of much higher quality than an average citizen. The list of special healthcare clients includes the President, Prime Minister, all MPs and the heads of government departments, including the Supreme Board of Inspection (NIK), the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court. According to OZZL chief Krzystof Bukiel, the cost of treatment of each VIP is zl. 1,000, whereas an average patient 'costs' zl. 600. "The authorities admit that healthcare expenditure is insufficient, so they have created their own enclave," he added. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A3) J.K.