The entry into force of the measure that provides for the non-payment of the first day of medical leave has a direct impact on chronic patients who depend on periodic treatments. One such case is that of a 42-year-old woman, diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, who requires one day of hospitalization every month for administration of immunoglobulin treatment.
Patient Inga Barla suffers from Kabuki syndrome, a rare disease characterized by severe immunodeficiency, which requires intravenous treatment administered exclusively in the hospital, due to the high risk of anaphylactic shock. The monthly hospitalization day is practically the only day of medical leave he needs, but this is no longer paid according to the new legal provisions of Emergency Ordinance no. 91/2025.
“It doesn’t seem fair or logical to me because it’s not like I’m going to the beach, yet I’m going to get treatment at the hospital and there are a lot of chronic patients who are in my situation and I think it’s important that someone hears us because it’s not like we have a choice, it’s mandatory that we go to the hospital at least one day for treatment, a month”, said Inga Barla for News.ro.
Sick leave allowances have been progressively reduced in recent years
Due to health problems, the woman had to reduce her working hours from eight to six hours, which also reduced her income. Despite this, he chose to continue working, as the sickness pension would be insufficient to cover the medical expenses. Many of the analyzes and investigations required by her are paid for from her own sources.
The situation has worsened in recent years, as allowances for sick leave have been progressively reduced, from 75% to 50%, and currently the first day is no longer paid at all. According to the patient, this measure risks causing chronic patients to give up treatment or to look for less effective alternatives.
“I have a lot of friends and acquaintances who have multiple sclerosis, it is an autoimmune disease that also requires monthly hospital treatment and many of them said that they can give up treatment or maybe talk to the doctor to switch to subcutaneous treatment, but still the effects are not as positive as in the case of intravenous treatment. Somehow they were trying to find a solution but not necessarily a good one for them and for their health, which again does not seem right to me to make sacrifices, it’s about everyone’s life and health”, explained Inga Barla.
Delay in treatment, dangerous for patients
She draws attention to the fact that the lack of timely treatment can have serious consequences. A mere week’s delay in infusion has caused him serious complications in the past.
“If I were not to have the treatment every month but once every two months, that would greatly affect my quality of life and of course I would end up not being able to work anymore, not being able to pay taxes to the state anymore, being a burden both for the family and for society and now I am somewhat in a balance between job, hospital, personal life, family”. said the patient.
Inga Barla calls on the authorities to differentiate between patients with acute conditions and those with chronic diseases and to introduce a distinct code for medical leaves related to recurrent treatments.
“You can’t put them all in the same category, there are nuances and especially in the case of patients, if you’re talking about public health, if you’re talking about the lives of certain people, they should think better how to separate these categories, so that they are not affected”, she relayed.
Dozens of disgruntled organizations
The grievances are shared by numerous patient organizations. More than 34 associations have launched a public appeal demanding the removal of the provision regarding the non-payment of the first day of medical leave, emphasizing that the measure particularly affects the chronically ill – oncological patients, people who need dialysis, patients with autoimmune conditions or rare diseases – who require periodic admissions.
Also, the Federation of Associations of Cancer Patients in Romania notified the People’s Advocate, considering that the measure represents an abuse, discourages the continuation of life-saving treatments and violates the right to health protection.
Following the public reactions, the Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, announced on Sunday evening the modification of the illness codes used for medical leaves, which will be made transparent for decision-making during this week.
