"The development of the concept should be done publicly, with the participation of authorative medical specialists and accessibly to the public," said Minister of Health and Social Development Tatyana Golikova.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Public Input in Healthcare Reform
The Ministry of Health and Social Development intends to draft its “Concept for the Development of Healthcare in the Russian Federation through 2020” with maximum openness. This week, an interactive website come online that will serve as a base for compiling the 17 current proposals, written by former health ministers, the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and public groups, into one and receiving new proposals on healthcare reform from the public.
This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin stated at the televised meeting of the State Council on Friday that the reform should be carried out with the greatest possible public discussion. Besides proposals concerning the healthcare industry, the new concept includes a number of economic innovations.
Last November, it was know that the Health Ministry was working on a policy document that emphasized high technology, greater primary care, combating the mortality rate, prenatal care, construction of cardiologic centers and transition to insurance-based care. Current Health Minister Tatyana Golikova inherited most of that list from her predecessor Mikhail Zurabov, who is now an advisor to Putin.
Now a special commission and working group have been set up. A key issue in he new concept will be the determination of the state program for the provision of healthcare within the state sector. Chairman of the Public Chamber Committee on Healthcare Dr. Leonid Roshal told Kommersant that his main proposal is to “make medical services in municipal and state healthcare agencies full and accessible.” He added that government spending on healthcare has to be increased to 5-6 percent of the GDP. Health insurance, which is based on legislation passed 10-15 years ago, will also be reformed. Deputy Health Minister Vladimir Belov is supervising that part of the concept. The current premium of 3.1-percent will likely be doubled.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Feb. 11, 2008
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