Health Ministry wants to reduce health expenditures for children and seniors

The Health Ministry wants to reduce health expenditures for seniors and children by lowering the ceiling on annual expenses for medicines for groups at risk. According to the proposal people over 70 should not have to contribute more than 500 crowns a year to their medicines, down from the present 2,500, and minors should pay a maximum 1,000 crowns, down from the present 5,000. Under the present arrangement patients are reimbursed for anything paid over that limit by their respective insurance company at the end of the year. The opposition centre-right parties are opposed to the idea, arguing that the present ceilings are generous enough.