Two messages have arrived from the Health Insurance Fund of Republika Srpska for insured citizens. The first brings expanded rights, particularly for parents caring for sick children. The second, however, means higher costs for some health services.
Between these two messages remains the patient — a citizen who already pays health insurance contributions, but often only discovers the real cost of healthcare when illness strikes.
Parents in Republika Srpska now have more rights when it comes to caring for a sick child. The changes are certainly welcomed by families who are faced with the challenges of caring for children during illness.
At the same time, however, amendments to the rules have brought higher co-payments for certain health services. In some cases, patients will now pay up to three times more than before.
The Health Insurance Fund points out that more than half of insured citizens are exempt from paying co-payments. They also emphasize that certain rights have been expanded, with the most significant changes concerning parents who care for a sick child.
“Also, what is new about these amendments to the Law on Mandatory Health Insurance is the compensation of the salary, which goes to the amount of one hundred percent,” said Danka Savić of the Health Insurance Fund of Republika Srpska.
The amended price list has, however, caused confusion among citizens, particularly after unverified information began circulating on social networks about payments for services at the Emergency Center.
The director of the University Clinical Center of Republika Srpska, Nikola Šobot, reacted to such claims, stressing that issues concerning health and human lives require particular seriousness.
“I have repeatedly indicated that, when it comes to people’s health and the functioning of UKC RS, we should maintain the level of seriousness,” Šobot said.
From the Banja Luka Emergency Medical Service, they also emphasize that emergency patients will not be left without care because of their insurance status.
“Emergency patients, who are insured or uninsured, they will always be taken care of without a dilemma as far as all services are concerned,” said Đorđe Bajić, head of the Banja Luka Emergency Medical Service.
The rules have changed, some rights have been expanded, while the prices of certain services have increased.
And that leaves the central question for patients: how accessible is healthcare really when, after an examination, treatment or hospital stay, a patient may still have to face an additional bill?
For citizens, the issue is therefore not only whether they have the right to healthcare, but whether they can afford all the costs that come with that right.
