Spanish outcry at plans for patient co-payment:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Plans for patients in Spain to contribute towards medical care have been met with angry protests. The Health Ministry held a meeting at the end of July with those regions that have responsibility for their own health budgets about proposals to cut health spending. At the top of the agenda was the suggestion that patients be asked to pay Pta 500 ($4) per day's hospitalisation; and Pta 100 for a primary care consultation; Pta 600 for emergency treatment. Co-payment could lead to savings of Pta 100,000 million a year, reports El Pais. However, regional health department heads called the proposals regressive and discriminatory. The Health Ministry claimed it was considering many possibilities.