“It is staggering that a government made up of so many departments and ministers is reporting that a third of its budget goes on social security and health,” Luc Van Gorp, the President of the Christian Mutual party, stated yesterday evening (Wednesday).
He was speaking to the Belga press agency at the time.
He feels that the system has now reached breaking point.
His view does, however, contrast with that of the party's General Secretary, Jean Hermesse, which put into perspective, earlier on in the evening on Bel RTL, the impact of savings in healthcare upon patients.
“Out of 900 millions euros mentioned, there will be, at least 15 to 20 million euros which will benefit patient, through antibiotics,” Hermesse had confirmed.
Luc Van Gorp, on the contrary, says “If we are not intending to take other steps with the healthcare budget there will be consequences across the whole system.”
The Insurance Commission of Inami (which sets and monitors the health and social security budget) approved, at the beginning of the month, the proposals for the healthcare budget for next year.
The Commission had to make savings of 660 million euros.
It has appeared, since then, that the strain will be significantly increased.
Van Gorp already previously expressed his fear of the patient suffering as a result of new savings measures.
He regrets that, in addition, the strain will be such that there will be no margin for new provisions “and if necessary, new initiatives.”
Predicting that we will not remain in this position in the years to come, he moreover considered that the means of shaving the budget in the sector had its limits, with the risk of causing bleeds by resorting to it.
He says that it is necessary to radically review the future structure of healthcare, starting with the patient, which necessitates "courage" not only for insurers, but also for healthcare providers, the Minister for Public Health, and the entire government.
The Christian Mutual party intends to take its responsibilities seriously in this debate, he says.
The Brussels Times
