Parties seek deal on future health programme

The parties forming a coalition are due to complete final negotiations over their joint government programme on Wednesday. The last of the seven chapters of their accord and one where they have still to come to agreement is the health sector. Here, party negotiators have clashed over the future format of charges for visits to doctors and the amount patients must pay for drugs. The TOP 09 party has come out broadly in favour of such charges with its incoming Minister of Health Leoš Heger saying that in the current tough economic climate they cannot be cancelled.

Author: Chris Johnstone