Lower house passes bill on non-profit hospitals again

The lower house has again passed a bill on non-profit hospitals, drafted by the ruling Social Democrats and supported by the opposition Communists, as 107 out of the 171 deputies present overrode the Senate's veto on Friday. To become law, the bill has yet to be signed by President Vaclav Klaus. Critics of the bill on non-profit hospitals say it will harm patients and threaten the existence of some hospitals. Supporters of the legislation argue the new system will guarantee the availability of health care to everybody.