Alexandru Rogobete, the Minister of Health, reacted to recent discussions in the public space regarding the possibility of introducing co-payments in oncological treatments. A bill initiated by the senator of the Young People’s Party (POT), Gheorghe Vela, proposes the introduction of a co-payment of 5% of the cost of treatments for cancer patients in Romania.
“I want to be very clear: it is out of the question for the Ministry of Health to support such an approach. In oncology, any additional barrier means delay. Any delay can mean the loss of an opportunity. The responsibility lies with the system, not with the person who receives a difficult diagnosis”, emphasized Minister Rogobete, in a post on Facebook.
Rogobete detailed the ministry’s achievements in the oncology field, noting that the direction assumed from the beginning is aimed at increasing access and reducing administrative barriers, not transferring costs to the patient.
Among the concrete measures mentioned by the minister are:
– Expanding access to treatment: 41 new drugs were added to the compensatory and free list, including 11 innovative oncological therapies, including for rare or advanced forms of cancer.
– Making prevention operational: national cervical, breast and colorectal cancer screening registries are now transparent and evaluable.
– Settlement of psychological support for cancer patients, recognizing the importance of emotional support in the treatment of patients. “We have introduced the settlement of psychological support for oncology patients, because the treatment does not mean only therapeutic schemes, but also the real human ability to fight this battle”, said the Minister of Health.
– The integration and development of palliative care in hospitals, ambulatory and at home, through national programs that are already functional.
“In oncology, the right discussion is about real opportunities, given at the right time. That’s the line I follow and don’t deviate from.” Rogobete also said.
Controversial bill tabled in Parliament: 5% co-pay for oncology treatments proposed by a POT senator
In a post on Facebook, Senator POT Gheorghe Vela claimed that the measure would facilitate faster access to treatments, including for uninsured or low-income patients.
He specified that people without income could be totally exempt from payment or could pay the amount in installments, and minors and the sick in serious stages would benefit from the total exemption from payment.
