Private-health funds allowed in 2002, but government having second thoughts

A new health-insurance law is to allow private-health funds to operate in Poland from the beginning of 2002. However, the government is now having second thoughts. Many deputies, both from the ruling Solidarity Election Action (AWS) as well as the opposition, are worried private-health funds will only insure the young and wealthy, while the burden of caring for the elderly would fall on public funds. On the other hand, the Health Ministry says competition would be very good for public funds, where political considerations often prevail over economic. It would also be easier to evaluate the cost of medical services in a free market. Prime-ministerial adviser Teresa Kaminska says it is possible to avoid discrepancies between public and private funds by forcing private funds to accept everyone who wants to join. Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) believes private funds would open offices only in large cities, where they would generally find wealthier patients. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 11) T.J.