Arafat: The new law could provoke a disaster!
The former Romanian Deputy State Secretary Raed Arafat claimed in his interview with the ProTv news that he tried to have a discussion about the new health law with the Prime Minister Emil Boc, but it was refused on grounds that “he is against the competitionâ€.
The debate was attended by CNAS president Lucian Duta.
Summary statements from the www.stirileprotv.ro videochat:
-         “I am not against competition or against the implementation of a private health systemâ€, said Raed Arafat.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Raed Arafat said he requested a meeting with Prime Minister Emil Boc, but was refused on the grounds that he is against competition.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The head of CNAS (The National Health Insurance Agency), Lucian Duta, said that the state plans to extend the emergency services in rural areas by implementing the new law.
-         If a private emergency healthcare provider refuses to go to an emergency he will be “kicked out†of the system, said Lucian Duta.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Raed Arafat stated that SMURD is already extended to the rural areas and that 43 new teams will be founded and allocated to these areas.
-         Lucian Duta states that “SMURD will keep on the good work.  It is a state service.â€
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The intention of the new state law is to make money for the poor areas of our healthcare, said the head of CNAS.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Raed Arafat said that there is no impact study for the new health law.
-         “We are a country that should have symbols,†said Raed Arafat, who argues that children need to understand that doctors deal with emergencies. We are not allowed to sell all of our state services.
-         “SMURD belongs to the stare – the state owns the ambulances, fire departments are also state owned.â€
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â There is no study indicating how much money has been invested in SMURD, and its impact in the health system, said the head of CNAS
-         The “SMURD Foundation†is designed to support SMURD with equipment etc…
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The SMURD Foundation gives money to SMURD but not from the pocket of the state, said Raed Arafat.
-         The 2% that the Romanians donate to the “SMURD Foundation†is transformed into projects for SMURD, projects such as buying equipment, services, etc… said Arafat.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Raed Arafat stated that on the SMURD website an audit report will be published in order to dispel any doubt about the amounts that passed through the foundation and how money was spent.
-         “It is possible for us to quarrel for nothing because there is a chance that the private investors may not come,†said Lucian Duta.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Custodial services will be reimbursed by the state, stated the head of CNAS.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â For any emergency there will be sent the nearest ambulance, regardless of the fact that it is private or public owned, added Duta.
-         If the private system will be implemented urgently, the impact could be devastating, the main problem is human resource – there are not enough doctors, said Raed Arafat.
-         “SMURD works on the amount to be, there are no losses and no debts,†said Dr. Arafat.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Raed Arafat said that if he would be called to discuss the new law on health, he would gladly go to debate.
Summary statements from the ProTV News at 19:00: Â
-         Raed Arafat: “there are no two SMURDS in the countryâ€. The Foundation has no connection with SMURD, it only helps the state service.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â SMURD was founded by the Romanians, but there must be a catalyst, said Raed Arafat.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The debate should be made around all the aspects of the new law, and not just around Dr. Arafat and the SMURD system.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The possibility given to private services to access state funds, is the only aspect that is changing the old health law, said Raed Arafat.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â You cannot integrate a private system with a state system in terms of healthcare, said Arafat.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Under-funding of the system is the main problem of the current system, said the head of CNAS, Lucian Duta.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The SMURD system cannot be extended because there is not enough money, said Duta.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â If the new law will be approved, the state budget will have to fund a private emergency system and remove the public one eventually, said Raed Arafat.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The Romanian state will continue to take good care of SMURD and the public system, said Lucian Duta.
-         Asked about his relationship with President Traian Basescu, Raed Arafat said that “Mr. Lucian Duta is interposedâ€. The head of CNAS answered that he never spoke to the head of state about Raed Arafat, adding the fact that Mr. Arafat likes to play “the victimâ€.
-         The Health system in Romania literally reached a boiling point. Raed Arafat’s departure from the ministry throws the issue of emergency medical service liberalization in a national debate.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â In a public statement, the president said he does not understand the rage that was created against the new law on health. Especially as, says Traian Basescu, no plans to privatize the public ambulance SMURD have been drawn.
-         “We just want to make the health system more efficient, we don’t want to destroy it,†said Basescu.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Meanwhile, the Gorvernment appointed Dr. Andrei Georgescu on the position of secretary of state, in the place of Raed Arafat.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The president did not mention even once the name of the former Secretary of State Raed Arafat, the most vehemently opposing the new draft law on health.
-Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Changes are managed closely by Prime Minister Boc.
The video interview can be followed here:
Source of the article here:
