Updated: Government denies PL claims on healthcare fees

Andre Pizzuto

Dec 9th 2009, 14:22

@ Laurence Schembri

I live in the UK. If i go to see a doctor at the NHS I don't have to pay, but if i'm prescribed any medicine I have to pay £7.62 each time I pick up the medicine from a pharmacy I need... so it is not 'as free' as in Malta...

I don't know about the systems in Germany or Sweden, but surely you can't compare the Maltese economy to theirs. Our GDP pro capita is about half theirs...

laurence schembri

Dec 9th 2009, 11:39

@ Andre Pizzuto
The U.K. and Germany for a start. Sweden has the best free health system in Europe.
We all have to pay for it through our working life...it is not free!

R.Gauci

Dec 9th 2009, 11:38

@ Andre Pizzuto

You a right mate there's nothing free in the world! All industrialised countries have some kind of means tests or health schemes for their citizens!
People wake up and smell the coffee!!
The present healthcare and social benefit system is not sustainable whatever any politician say or promises!
As I commented before in another blog and said a long time ago there should be a totaly reform introduced in conjuction with the healthcare, that is N/I contributions and Tax Credits payments for people opting for private health insurance and private retirement plans on a voluntary basis and change in laws to secure them! The fact that less children are born so less contributions are pad and that our pensioners are living longer is enough to ring the alarm bell! Our children will have to pay hefty for the errors that are being made by this generation so wake up please people and politicians before it is too much late and don't make this issue a political football!!
The problem is there no proper accountability structure in our Governance department and when someone tries to make his job he finds himself crucified or relegated in a corner!!

laurence schembri

Dec 9th 2009, 10:48

Stop the arguments. John Dalli said it, over and over, `Nothing is for nothing`, of course on this aspect, he is wrong, N.I. contribution is a payment against free health. Gonzi have nothing to negate, we simply have to pay.

M Mealclaf

Dec 9th 2009, 10:43

Re the proposed Medical Records of the patient which will be held by the Family Doctor.
Will the patient have access to all the Records ?
Can the patents have a copy of all the records at any time ? and at No cost ?

How will the records change hands if one were to change doctors..Who will pay for the transfer of the records ?

doris mercieca

Dec 9th 2009, 10:18

This is a CONSULTATION document .... nothing is set in stone yet and things will be decided when all the parties concerned are CONSULTED.

PL need to grow up and give actual constructive criticism if they really care about the Maltese people. There are many doctors within the ranks of PL and their honest feedback would help make this reform successful for ALL MALTESE!!

trying to create unrest is hurtful to our community !!!

Roderick Bajada

Dec 9th 2009, 10:17

To all those excusing the government!

Having to go to a private doctor for reference to health centers is indeed a additional Fee on health service paid to the private doctor and which is aimed to cut expenses on the government in the long run...

this is indeed an indirect fee.

Apart from fees, this new system will increase burocracy and is certainly not aimed at giving the people a better service! but is aimed towards cutting government expenses!

For me this is daylight robery! as you are already paying for health service trought taxes! and instead of our beloved government trying to cut his many out of control expenses, he is cuttin down on health service!

To all you who are excusing him! it seems that you do not even have respect for yourself, let alone the rest of the people!

Paul Borg

Dec 9th 2009, 09:54

@ Goverment Reaction
Could Government spokesman confirm or deny the following:
1. Patient REGISTRATION with doctor of your choice would be free BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY THE DOCTOR FOR EACH VISIT!!!
2. Is it true that only patients with the Social Security Pink Form will get a refund of the doctor's fee??

And your chosen Doctor will be available 24 hours a day??
What happen if your chosen Doctor will be on leave or abroad??
And how much is the fee for each visit, is it a fixed tariff for all GPs??

A CLEAR EXPLANATION ON THE ABOVE IS REQUIRED PLEASE!!

J.Borg

Dec 9th 2009, 09:44

@ R.Caruana and other picking on PL
The present situation is that you either go to your family doctor and pay or you go the the local Health Centre for FREE.
With the new system the second part will be abolished by the government as if you go to the Health Centre without the recommendation from your family doctor you will be sent back.
Can you please explain to us if this isn't having to pay for health services?

Ort is it going to be that you will go to the family doctor without paying and the doctor gets paid by the government!!!!!!

g.c.Forte

Dec 9th 2009, 09:41

Knowing that the " Spizjar ta l-ghazla tieghek " did not functioned not even 50%., I have my doubts of how this health scheme can work. I want to imagine to call my family Dr. on a public holiday, or during silent hours, and he comes without giving him some kind of payments( tips). If he (the Dr.) is going to be paid by the government........I have my reasons to believe that there will be a big chance of creating an abuse. Subject to correction........as K. Azzopardi well said about the 3% more V.A.T.to cover up the health scheme, what about the P.A.Y.E. I know persons that paid Taxes, Social contributions ( il bolla ) the P.A.Y.E and all that ever body pays through out his long working life, then without taking any beneficiary he/she dies.So in my opinion ..No,the Health Scheme is not free, we are PAYING for it. It is the government (any gov.) responsibility to see that what we pay in taxes will be spent wisely, especially concerning health.

P.Cassar

Dec 9th 2009, 09:33

The PN says that pills are given free of charge to certain patients....true
BUT what they do not say is that YOU DON'T FIND THEM AT THE GOVT DISPENSARIES BUT, AGAINST PAYMENT, IN OTHER PHARMACIES YES.
THEY ARE INTRODUCING SOMETHING SIMILAR WITH DOCTORS...........INDIRECT PAYMENTS.

And by the way health is not free because we pay taxes, and national insurance for the services govt provides. Besides vat was increased from 15% ti 18% PRECISELY FOR HEALTH . CAN THE HEALTH MINISTRY PLEASE TELL US WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING TO THOSE 3%???

R. Caruana

Dec 9th 2009, 07:55

The PL has really reached the bottom of credibility with this one.

Haven't they flogged the health fees scare enough, year after year, election after election?

Carmel J. Caruana

Dec 9th 2009, 07:00

Free QUALITY Healthcare in Malta!?!? Persons making such declarations must be living in cuckoo-land not in Malta.
Case in point: School children who have been sick need a doctor's certificate to be re-admitted to school (owing to H1N1). In countries with real free healthcare every school has a doctor payed by the government to go and check the children in their homes to avoid the spread of disease. In Malta to have this quality service you have to pay a private GP. Your free alternative is to take your child to a health center and risk that she leaves with something more serious.

Carmel Vella

Dec 9th 2009, 06:42

@ E. Gatt

It is obvious that either you have not seen the proposed reform or you have not grasped it's implications.

Andre Pizzuto

Dec 9th 2009, 01:10

I don't objectively think that the system of free healthcare there is in Malta is sustainable. None of the G8 economies have a system like ours, coupled by social services and housing policies which are beyond our weak economy's capacity...

The Nationalists will never admit to this, especially after the 1998 campaign in which they pummelled Labour for having tried to do something about it. It is now Labour's turn to maintain the pressure on PN to keep healthcare absolutely free. They both know something needs to be done about it, but none of them has the courage to be open about it.

A.Zahra

Dec 9th 2009, 00:38

The usual MLP scaremongering to win votes. They never change.

Maria Farrugia

Dec 8th 2009, 23:21

Instead of using the health centre I will be obliged to call a doctor at home!

If the doctor, who I will have to pay, refers me to the polyclinic then only then I can go. And what does that mean???

I will have to pay instead of using a health clinic.

I had numerous times occasions where during the night i need to use a health clinic, from now on, this will happen no more. Instead I will have to call a doctor in the middle of the night and pay him/her at a premium.

What is that if not paying for healthcare?

MBorg

Dec 8th 2009, 23:10

Patients will have to pay every time they go to their family doctor or consultant,just like they are doing now. Nothing is going to change so why do patients need to register with their family doctor? Patients are not going to gain anything, the real aim of this reform is to stop patients from going to MATER DEI. Hovever the government must know that not everybody can pay doctor's or consultant's fees.which are getting higher every year.

J.Borg

Dec 8th 2009, 23:00

if by the new system, you have to go to your family doctor what does that mean. You have to pay!!! As if you go to the health centre you want be allowed and sent back to your doctor. So doesn't that mean you have to pay? What happened to the doctor of your choice for free? What does GONZIPN want us to belive......now you have to go to your doctor first...which means you have to pay. Stop tryig to turn around the bush....

F. Debono

Dec 8th 2009, 22:58

Another GonziPN promise bites the dust.

Of course there are going to be charges. People like myself who always made use of the Polyclinic Doctors for regular visits, checkups, tests etc now have to register with a Family Doctor. And for every service I used to get for free before, I now have to pay the Family GP to write me a note to go to the Polyclinic or for the Family GP to undertake what I used to get for free from the Polyclinic Doctors.

Please people do not be so blind.

Victor Laiviera

Dec 8th 2009, 22:49

Shakespear said "What''s in a name? A rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet".

If this reform is actuated, any person who requires any kind of medical service whatsoever will only be able to obtain it if he/she is referred by their private doctor. And that private doctor will charge a fee.
This applies even to visits to polyclinics. Only dire emergencies will be excepted.

This is a new fee, whichever way you look at it.

G Frendo

Dec 8th 2009, 22:12

If that is all the PL could pick on with a far ranging reform proposal it must be darned good!! Typical of the PL to stretch and spin to give sembalnce to the inexistent. The new way of doing politics - we are still waiting Dr Muscat!

Anthony Mizzi

Dec 8th 2009, 21:51

Disguising thoughts with ambiguous statements?

Come right out and say it and please do not play with words .

C.ZARB

Dec 8th 2009, 21:48

Enemalta, Malta shipbuilding, Malta roads, Mater Dejn, MEPA...how many other reforms and projects must this government do before people start losing hope on it. I believe that before praising such reform one must ask how such reform worked in England. For example a friend of mine had to wait for 3 days to take her child to hospital just because the GP decided not to take her case seriously. She wasn't entitled to get a second opinion and she wasn't entitled to take her child to the same hospital she is paying out from her tax money.

C.Scerri

Dec 8th 2009, 21:14

Can anyone indicate any private GP that does not charge a (legitimate) feee for his services? The Health Centres shall remain there but people shall be discouraged in abusing of the service e.g. presenting oneself at any time of the day (or night) to have the blood pressure checked sometimes at the end of a day outing in the countryside on their way back home!!

This reform shall also introduce group practice, adequate record keeping as well as access to patient's records.

The least that I would have expected from the opposition, is some constructive criticsm or viable alternatives!!

E Gatt

Dec 8th 2009, 20:40

@Dr Farrugia

Where on earth does the proposed health reform introduce fees?

MLP make up stories and conspiracy theories and the incredible thing is that they themselves start to believe them!

dr martin borg (family doctor)

Dec 8th 2009, 20:25

Dear Michael (Colleague)
I am sure that like many of us family doctors working in the private sector you do not always charge people who really cannot afford to pay. I am surprised that there was nothing in the document but just this very fact that attracted your Party’s attention. I am sure that not all the people in the task force show the sentiment of the Gonzi PN administration. It is true that this document is not a final one and needs further discussion. But is it possible that the Labour party lacks the ability to visualise the work and effort of the task force? This is the reason why things take ages to kick in in our Country. Politics especially that practised by your party destroys every attempt to unite people wanting to do something right for a change. This document should be far beyond politics. It should be open for national discussion. I am sorry you, your party have started on the wrong foot. If you continue reasoning in this fashion, you will never get the more important votes (people like me who do not always toe the party line) and will remain in opposition for ever!

k azzoppardi

Dec 8th 2009, 19:31

Please do not forget that when the Vat was increase from 15% to 18%, by the same minister who is now heading this health reform, the excuse was that this extra 3% was going to healthcare. Now he's asking us to pay again. I hope he won't keep the same habits in his new post.

jbusuttil

Dec 8th 2009, 18:54

Here we go again. This time not before some kind of election. PL give us something new about health care and how we expect you to make a better reform. Mhux dejjem l-stess kantaliena.