Priests to pay after Senate approves new health care bill changes

The Senate has approved the health care bill, but rather than propose amendments which would help resolve the massive problems of Polish health care, the senators focused on introducing charges for priests who use the system. Until now, the budget had paid the priests' contribution. The government did not approve of this amendment, but Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) pushed ahead anyway. "The government must be scared, if it does not want to abolish the Stalinist privileges for the clergy," said deputy Senate speaker and SLD member, Ryszard Jarzembowski. The Senate also approved an amendment which makes it possible for contraceptives to be on the list of refunded medicines. The bill will now go back head to the Sejm, which can reject the Senate's amendments. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p.4 ) T.J.