I have the following proposals for savings in healthcare:
- I propose that contraceptive pills be removed from the list of medicines covered by compulsory health insurance. In no other country can contraceptive pills be obtained under compulsory health insurance except Slovenia. This move will kill two birds with one stone: it will reduce the health budget's expenditure on medicines and it will increase the number of births, both of which are positive.
- I propose merging compulsory and supplementary health insurance. In the system we have at present, a lot of money goes on administration costs, both at the Health Insurance Fund and at the private health insurance companies that offer supplementary health insurance services, and at the doctors, who have the extra work of billing two insurance companies for each patient separately. This measure would save administrative costs and would also leave doctors more time for patients, both of which are positive.
- I propose that, at the same time as the abolition of supplementary health insurance, a minimum deductible for health services should be introduced, for which it would no longer be possible to take out insurance. This would encourage people to make more rational choices about when they go to the doctor and when they do not. For the socially deprived, participation would be returned if it turns out that they really needed the service (i.e. their life or health would be at risk if they did not go to the doctor).
- I propose that persons with capital income above a certain level should pay a health insurance contribution on that capital income (I propose the same % as the contribution rate on wages). I also propose introducing health contributions on all types of work, not only on income from regular employment. This would be positive from the point of view that the burden of health contributions on capital and labour would be equalised.
- I propose that every patient who goes to the doctor should be given a bill indicating how much he pays for health insurance and how much he has to pay himself by way of participation. In this way, people will get an insight into the cost of health services.