The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rafila, announces that the Government adopted, in Wednesday’s meeting, an emergency ordinance that provides for the extension of the settlement to all types of radiotherapy services for oncology patients, regardless of tumor location.
Radiotherapy services for oncology patients will be settled PHOTO Archive
The measures, intended to support patients who need innovative medicines, are adopted following requests from the medical system and patient associations. Minister Rafila specified that some of the measures were developed together with the National Health Insurance House.
“As far as cancer patients are concerned, there are some measures that strictly refer to this category of patients. First of all, it is about extending the settlement to all types of radiotherapy services for oncology patients, regardless of tumor location. Secondly, it is about an update of the tariffs, which have not undergone any changes since 2015”stated the minister, during a press conference held at the Victoria Palace.
He mentioned that the adopted measures include the implementation of the PAL-PLAN (National Palliative Plan), by including all categories of services in the settlement, including those that can be provided on an outpatient basis or at the patient’s home.
“Also, the type of health facilities that can organize such services will be expanded“said the minister.
Rafila stated that the emergency ordinance also brings a “accelerated mechanism of access to innovative medicines” for products that are unique to certain types of diseases. This mechanism will also be applied to products that will be able to generate savings at the level of the Single National Health Insurance Fund, because they will replace more expensive medicines.
Other provisions of the GEO contribute to the implementation of the National Cancer Control Plan, by establishing national diagnostic and treatment networks for cancer patients.
Measures have also been adopted to extend the application period of an older law, which stipulated that patients who turn to private outpatient services pay a certain amount.
“This was extended until 2027, so that Romanian patients who use private services not to have to do so“, the minister also said.
