The Minister of Social Affairs Hanno Pevkur replied to the interpellation concerning the financing of health care and medical care (No 308), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Mai Treial, Ester Tuiksoo, Karel Rüütli, Villu Reiljan and Tarmo Mänd on 31 August. The interpellators referred to the cut of 1.1 billion in the budget of the health insurance fund and the impact thereof.
Pevkur explained that the cuts in the budget of the health insurance fund were necessitated by reduction of the receipt of social tax. The expenses of health care services were reduced mainly in regard of specialised medical care, that is, by 520 million kroons, in the 2009 budget. In specialised medical care, health care services providers can apply waiting times in cases of planned treatment, and ensure timely treatment for patients who need more expedient treatment and planned treatment according to the maximum limits of the waiting lists for medical care. In Pevkur’s words, the decision does not concern emergency medical care. “Medical institutions have to ensure the availability of treatment within the limits of the agreements which were entered into in the beginning of the year, which means that they will have to fulfil and observe the agreements intensively and channel money first of all to the specialties which most need it in order to enable the availability of specialised medical care to patients within the permitted waiting period,” confirmed the Minister of Social Affairs.
Pevkur noted that our family physicians system is certainly of importance in ensuring the availability of treatment and no cuts had been made in the financing thereof. “The health insurance fund together with all its partners has to take into account that, in the coming years, active steps need to be taken to ensure the best availability of treatment with the existing money,” said Pevkur.
Then, the Minister of Social Affairs replied to the interpellation concerning the Reform Party campaign financed by the Ministry of Social Affairs (No 301), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Kadri Simson, Toomas Varek, Tiit Kuusmik, Mailis Reps, Ain Seppik, Toivo Tootsen, Arvo Sarapuu, Inara Luigas, Valeri Korb, Helle Kalda and Lauri Laasi on 3 June. Pevkur confirmed that the Ministry of Social Affairs had not financed any Reform Party campaign.
The Minister of Social Affairs also replied to the interpellation concerning the reduction of pensions (No 310), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Georg Pelisaar, Marika Tuus, Lauri Laasi, Jaak Aab, Rein Ratas and Tiit Kuusmik on 1 September. Pevkur explained that the Government had not scheduled any plan of reduction of pensions and that pensions would not be reduced.
The Minister of Internal Affairs Marko Pomerants replied to the interpellation concerning an infringement of the freedom of voting (No 309), submitted by Members of the Riigikogu Indrek Saar, Ain Seppik and Karel Rüütli on 1 September.
The Riigikogu Press Service