Private health clinics begin to feel the bite of recession

The majority of the public are deeply dissatisfied with the state of the national health service. While all tax payers will be now be paying a higher (8%) health insurance contribution, they may not assume that this will translate into any real improvement in the quality of medical services. Visiting private clinics is a luxury not many can afford. Employees of more prosperous firms often enjoy private medical insurance of varying levels. Their prices vary from zl. 40 to even zl. 460 per month, depending on the town and the range of the services provided. However, this private system is now also facing a crisis as employers try to cut costs everywhere they can. One way out might be to encourage individuals to take out private health insurance, which would imply co-operation between insurers and private clinics. Failing this many clinics may begin to face bankruptcy. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A4) K.Z.