The Minister of Social Affairs Hanno Pevkur replied to the interpellation concerning the sustainability of the health care system (No 194), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Aadu Must, Aivar Riisalu, Enn Eesmaa, Jüri Ratas, Kadri Simson, Marika Tuus-Laul, Peeter Võsa, Priit Toobal, Tarmo Tamm, Valeri Korb and Viktor Vassiljev on 2 October. 

The interpellators wished to know which opportunities the Minister of Social Affairs sees for bringing additional money to the health care system and thereby improving the availability of medical care. 

In Pevkur’s words, he is a supporter of the proposal to separate sickness benefits from the health insurance budget and to integrate it with the general system of benefits for incapacity for work. This would enable to bring additional funds to the health insurance. When speaking of the visit fee and the in-patient fee, Pevkur noted that, as the final goal, this means indeed bringing additional money to the health care system which would provide an opportunity to fulfil the salary agreement as well as to cover different utility costs which have increased. 

The Minister of Social Affairs admitted that, when we speak of additional money for health care, then of course ultimately it will come from our pockets. The resources will come either through taxes or directly from the visit fee and the in-patient fee of the patient. In any case we all pay solidarily to receive medical care, he stressed. In Pevkur’s opinion, from the standpoint of hospitals, it is fair to rely on the decision once made in the Riigikogu to make the visit fee and the in-patient fee dependent on the changes of the consumer price. This indication should be taken into account. Moreover, the consumer price index has undergone a significant rise during 10 years. 

The Minister of Social Affairs replied to three more interpellations. They were the following: 

the interpellation concerning the start-up allowance for young doctors (No 192), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Aadu Must, Ester Tuiksoo, Kadri Simson, Kalev Kallo, Lauri Laasi, Mailis Reps, Mihhail Stalnuhhin, Priit Toobal, Valeri Korb, Viktor Vassiljev, Vladimir Velman and Yana Toom on 26 September; 

the interpellation concerning the social aspects of price rises (No 195), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Aadu Must, Enn Eesmaa, Jüri Ratas, Kadri Simson, Marika Tuus-Laul, Peeter Võsa, Priit Toobal, Tarmo Tamm, Valeri Korb, Viktor Vassiljev and Vladimir Velman on 2 October; 

the interpellation concerning the availability of technical aids for persons with special needs (No 203), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Andres Anvelt, Heljo Pikhof, Helmen Kütt, Jaak Allik, Jaan Õunapuu, Kajar Lember, Kalev Kotkas, Kalvi Kõva, Neeme Suur, Rein Randver and Urve Palo on 16 October. 

The Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts replied to two interpellations. They were the following: 

the interpellation concerning the governance of the state participation in AS Estonian Air (No 196), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Andres Anvelt, Eiki Nestor, Heljo Pikhof, Helmen Kütt, Jaak Allik, Jaan Õunapuu, Jevgeni Ossinovski, Kajar Lember, Kalvi Kõva, Karel Rüütli, Marianne Mikko, Rannar Vassiljev, Rein Randver, Sven Mikser and Urve Palo on 2 October; 

the interpellation concerning the opening of the electricity market (No 200), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Andres Anvelt, Deniss Boroditš, Eiki Nestor, Heljo Pikhof, Helmen Kütt, Inara Luigas, Indrek Saar, Jaak Allik, Jevgeni Ossinovski, Kalev Kotkas, Kalle Laanet, Kalvi Kõva, Karel Rüütli, Lembit Kaljuvee, Marianne Mikko, Neeme Suur, Rainer Vakra, Rannar Vassiljev, Rein Randver and Urve Palo on 10 September. 

On the motion of the Finance Committee, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments the Land Tax Act and the Income Tax Act (299 SE), initiated by the Government, was excluded from the agenda for the working week. 

The Riigikogu Press Service