Health Minister to try to persuade colleagues to increase health insurance fees

According to the Health Minister Franciszka Cegielska, the fee for health insurance should be raised to 8% in 2001. She announced yesterday that she would try to persuade the Cabinet to a gradual increase of the fee so that it amounted to 9% in 2003. Cegielska says the ministers realize that after introducing a new system of financing health care, the fee should be higher. However the Finance Minister Jaroslaw Bauc has an opposing view. The former Finance Minister Leszek Balcerowicz also supported Bauc's position. "According to Balcerowicz, the statement of Cegielska proves a lack of coherence in the government," said Balecrowicz's adviser Ryszard Petru." (Rzeczpospolita, page A1, A3) A.Z.