GOVERNMENT APPROVES AMENDMENTS TO SOCIAL AND MEDICAL INSURANCE BUDGETS

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the introduction of changes in the Law on state social insurance budget and the Law on compulsory health insurance budget.

According to the Government, the social budget revenue and expenditure part grew 26.48 million lei and will account for 19.338 billion lei. The amendment is due to the raising of the number of beneficiaries from social allowances and the size of the very payments and pensions due to the pension system reform.

The most considerable raising is directed to the implementation of the subprogram on protecting the elderly and will account for over 60 million lei. The expenditures on survivors' benefit will grow (+3,082 thousand lei), as well as on assistance to people with special needs (+17.89 million lei).

Prime Minister Pavel Filip said that the raising of the social insurance budget revenue part demonstrates the improvement of the situation in the system.

According to him, even if there is still a deficit of 1.3 billion lei, it already started to lower and is being compensated due to additional revenues from social insurance fees (+294.5 million lei).

"Maybe the results are not so impressive, but they demonstrate that efforts bring fruits. The less salaries in envelopes - the more payments. I hope that in the nearest time we will have a self-sufficient system as in all the developed countries", Filip said.

In case of the compulsory health insurance fund, the proposed amendments imply the raising of the revenue and expenditure parts by 74.3 million lei - to 6.733 million lei. Most of additional revenues - 50.94 million lei - will be directed to the inpatient treatment. Over 10 million lei will be directed to providing of ambulatory specialized medical assistance. The rest is designed for improvement of first aid, primary health care and highly efficient medical services.