The National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU) states there is a threat of disruption of payments under medical guarantees program in January-March 2021.
The service has said this in a statement, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
"Due to the unapproved procedure for the implementation of the medical guarantees program, the NHSU cannot extend the contracts with institutions for the first quarter of 2021. The current procedure (resolution No. 65 of February 5, 2020), which regulates the implementation of the medical guarantees program, is valid until the end of 2020. In order for the National Health Service to continue pay funds to institutions, the contracts with medical institutions must be continued from January 1, 2021 to April 1 - until the new program of medical guarantees comes into force," the statement reads.
It is noted that in order to solve the problem, the NHSU in November submitted to the Ministry of Health a draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers on the extension of the period of validity of Resolution No. 65 for the first quarter of 2021.
At the moment, the Ministry of Health has not submitted this draft resolution to the government secretariat and, accordingly, the document cannot be considered at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
"This means that the NHSU has no legal basis to extend contracts with institutions that expire on December 31, 2020. This applies to all institutions in the country, including those that provide care for patients with COVID-19. Accordingly, there is no legal basis in the NHSU to pay for medical services that will be provided by institutions from January 1, 2021," the statement reads.
The NHSU warns that the current situation could lead to a financial crisis in healthcare institutions across the country, violation of patients' rights to free medical care, non-payment of salaries to doctors and other medical workers.
Also under threat will be the implementation of the affordable drugs program.
The NHSU calls on the government to take all necessary steps as soon as possible to approve the corresponding draft resolution.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, Health Minister Maksym Stepanov counts on the support of the Verkhovna Rada members to increase funding for medicine in the state budget for 2021 to the level of UAH 296 billion.
The Cabinet of Ministers proposes the Verkhovna Rada increase funding for the Ministry of Health and its programs by 2.6% to UAH 159.19 billion in the draft state budget for 2021, prepared for the second reading, compared to the draft for the first reading.
Funding for the program of medical guarantees is provided at the level of UAH 123.494 billion, while the budget request of the ministry was UAH 225 billion.
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