Opposition see new health fund bill as return to centralized system

The Sejm has accepted the Senate amendment to a new bill which envisages the abandonment of existing 17 health funds and the formation of the National Health Fund. The Sejm agreed to extend the health care system to all c hildren below 18 years of age, even if they are not insured by their p arents, or by welfare schemes. The new bill will now be passed for the President to sign. According to Health Minister Marek Balicki, the main changes concern standardization of procedures of signing contracts, re storation of power to the Minister over the health system and cost red uctions. The opposition hopes that the President will not sign the new bill. Civic Platform (PO) Deputy, Elzbieta Radziszewska, claims the "new" system is a return to a centralized health service, which proved unsuccessful in the past. Minister Balicki rejects this argument saying that the National Health Fund will only take over the task of paying, it will not be the owner of hospitals or clinics. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A3; Polskie Radio online, www.polskieradio.pl) A.K.