CNAS president: Romanian health insurance system is insufficiently funded

One of the important problems the Romanian health insurance system is facing is the fact that funds are limited, with only RON 20 billion being collected from tax payers, while RON 26 billion are being spent every year, said Radu Tibichi, president of the National Health Insurance House (CNAS), quoted by Agerpres newswire.

“From the viewpoint of the National Health Insurance House, there are three main problems: one is related to the limited funds in the system. I am talking here about the sum that is collected from the 8 million tax payers. Out of 20 million people, only 8 million are contributing and the sum that is collected amounts to approximately RON 20 billion, while the health insurance system is spending RON 26 billion,” said Tibichi, quoted by Agerpres newswire.

He said the system needs more revenues. “We started from health contributions of 14 percent and now we have reached 10 percent. The House has not been collecting for many years, the collection process is being carried out by the fiscal administration, and we must see, since many activities were distributed to other institutions, how efficiently these funds are collected and how much is needed to cover the need for medical services,” said Tibichi, quoted by Agerpres.

Since the budget is limited, medical activities must have financing priority, he added.

“When we know the need for medical services, we can build financing models that will develop certain services that are missing to insured people. The third thing that is needed is standard therapeutic protocols that should improve the quality of medical services as well as the controls in the system,” said Tibichi.