Experts slam user charges for health

Experts slam user charges for health

Health activists have criticised government plans to amend the National Health Security Office (NHSO) Act 2002 by charging for user services.

The government proposes charges for some services under the universal coverage scheme (UC) to ease the burden of increased state healthcare spending.

Supatra Nacapew, a health activist and member of the National Reform Council (NRC) said the healthcare scheme, which comes under the NHSO Act, must be managed based on the public interest.

"Changing the act is not the solution. A major cause of the problem is inequality between the healthcare schemes that are creating a financial burden and a work overload for health personnel," she said.

Thailand's healthcare system is divided into three schemes: the UC for the general public, the Social Security Fund for workers, and a civil servant scheme.

Each is run by its own agency and governed by different regulations, healthcare benefits and financial management methods. The UC is the most expensive of the three. 

Ms Supatra's remarks come after a recent meeting of the National Legislative Assembly's standing committee on public health, which backed a demand by a doctors' group to review the NHSO Act. Since the end of last year, a group of health personnel backed by health permanent secretary Narong Sahametapat have claimed more than 400 state hospitals are experiencing financial problems and the UC's budget is depriving patients of quality care.

The health committee suggested splitting personnel salaries from the capitation budget so hospitals can spend more on patients.

"People fail to get good healthcare because the healthcare system lacks effectiveness. It's not about the budget being inadequate," said Nimit Tian-udom, an NHSO board member representing civil society groups.

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