2024-07-20 07:06:15
“I don’t think the path (increasing PSD contributions – ELTA) that Arūnas Dulkys is talking about is necessary or inevitable. I think that, first of all, it is necessary to fix the algorithms, to de-bureaucratize the system itself, how the money travels”, Rasa Budbergytė, an elder of the opposition Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) faction in the Seimas, told Eltai on Thursday.
Last week, A. Dulkys Eltai said that the new government will have to increase PSD contributions. However, social democrat R. Budbergytė says that this issue should have been decided by the minister himself.
“If Minister Dulkys thinks that this is the only way out of this situation (increasing PSD contributions – ELTA), then he could have solved it himself,” emphasized R. Budbergytė.
“Let Dulkys not create any magic recipes for the future authorities. (…) Let’s leave the issue of PSD contributions to those who will replace this government,” she said.
Former Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis seconded the leader of the “Vardan Lietuvos” Democratic Union.
“The minister had to deal with it, but no decisions were made,” he told Elta.
According to the representative of the opposition, at the moment it is necessary to deal with the existing system first and only then to consider alternatives.
“Nothing needs to be increased. It is necessary to rationally use the money that is collected in PSD funds, and not to make such reforms, which are financially very demanding, but do not give results to patients”, stressed S. Skvernelis.
Coalition partners do not see the need to increase PSD contributions either
In turn, “liberal” Vytautas Mitalas also supported the representatives of the opposition. According to him, as long as the promises regarding the reform of the State Sickness Fund (VLK) are not fulfilled, then the arguments of Minister A. Dulkios that PSD contributions should be increased because Lithuanians still pay less than the average resident of the European Union (EU) are worthless.
“First, let’s deal with the low-hanging fruit, which is, for example, the reform of the VLK. It is necessary to fix the management of the VLK, in my opinion, by separating it from the Ministry of Health and making it a normally functioning, allocator of money that does not raise questions for anyone”, explained the elder of the Freedom faction in the Seimas.
“Then we will be able to look at the averages and think if what we have done is sufficient or if we can do something with the contribution amount. As long as what was promised is not done, no changes to the PSD can be made,” emphasized V. Mitala.
Eugenijus Gentvilas, an elder of the Liberal Movement faction in the Seimas, also had a critical opinion. According to him, it is not clear where the additional funds flowing into the PSD fund would be used.
“If we pay less than average Europeans, it does not mean that we should be taxed additionally. Knowing that the PSD fund has accumulated large reserves, I don’t know if contributions should be increased,” E. Gentvilas said to Eltai.
“Hundreds of millions would only accumulate even more in the fund, but I don’t think that queues would shorten or more doctors would appear,” the politician added.
During an ELTA interview last week, the Minister of Health A. Dulkys said that it is obvious that the new government, despite the growing financial needs for national defense, will have to take up the issue of increasing PSD contributions. According to him, this should be done in the first half of the next term of the Government.
The fact that the biggest problem of the health sector is too low PSD contribution A. Dulkys confirmed my opinion last year as well. However, at that time the minister did not directly state whether he intended to propose an increase in PSD contributions, he emphasized that the efficiency of the system itself should be ensured before that.
2024-07-20 07:06:15