Since the beginning of this month, the health system in Romania has been operating according to new rules, which affect thousands of patients. Due to a lack of funds, the National Health Insurance Agency (CNAS) decided that the chronically ill will no longer benefit from priority when performing medical tests, which will only be carried out within the available budget.
Until now, patients presenting a special referral ticket had the right to carry out medical investigations within a maximum of five days, even if there were no funds, with the laboratories subsequently recovering their money from the Health Center. This rule no longer applies and patients are forced to wait until funds are available.
Among those affected are patients with neurological diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, rare diseases, but also people with chronic kidney disease. For them, quick access to investigations is no longer guaranteed, according to Digi24.
Instead, priority is given to patients with suspected cancer, pregnant women who need medical investigations, people with hepatitis B and C, pregnant women tested for HIV, as well as those undergoing preventive tests.
At the same time, since the beginning of this year, several people remained uninsured in the public health system. Only minimal medical services are provided for them. Those who wish to become insured again must pay an annual contribution of 2,430 lei to ANAF.
