January’s annual inflation in the Republika Srpska is 3.7 percent, and the highest price growth measured by the RS Statistics Office was recorded for hospital services, by as much as 139.1 percent.
It is about the fact that since January 1, the co-payment for lying in hospitals and in the University Clinical Center of the RS has been increased. Thus, the co-payment for days of hospitalization in hospitals was increased from 9 to 25 BAM, and in UKC RS from 11 to 30 BAM. So, that’s what patients in public hospitals and UKC RS who have health insurance pay, and those who don’t pay the full price.
While there was a public discussion about a 10 percent increase in the price of network charges, the fact that health services in the RS have risen in price for certain categories by more than 170 percent since the beginning of the year went almost unnoticed – say the Association of Citizens for Consumer Protection “Don”. Thus, a ten-day stay in UKC RS costs 300 BAM for a patient who has mandatory health insurance.
As they state, the new price list for health services has increased co-payments, which are now reported in absolute amounts for examinations by medical doctors, specialists and subspecialists, hospital days at the secondary and tertiary level of health care, as well as for radiological diagnostic services such as computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
In the RS Health Insurance Fund, which sets prices, they justify this decision by saying that the amounts of participation in the compulsory health insurance system have not changed since 2011, while in the meantime the costs of health services have increased significantly.
The Association “Don” reminds that the February electricity bill will be higher for all citizens, because from the second month of this year, the amount of the network fee is calculated according to the higher tariff approved by the Electricity Regulatory Commission. The distribution network fee is 10 percent higher.
At the same time, all other services become more expensive. In January, water is more expensive on average by 8.8 percent, electricity by 7.8 percent, postal services by 8.4 percent, kindergartens by 8.3 percent, while the prices of catering services have increased by 5.5 percent over the past year, and accommodation services by 8.7 percent.
The annual growth of food prices was 3.3 percent.
The price of transportation in January is lower by 2.3 percent compared to the same month last year, and the reason is cheaper fuel. However, in the previous days, the price of fuel at gas stations has risen, and in the coming days, according to the announcements of oil distributors, a new jump of 5-10 pfennigs per liter is expected. According to the famous importers, the price of fuel in refineries has gone up.
Taken as a whole, the January data show that, despite moderate overall inflation, the citizens of the RS welcome the beginning of the year with a significant increase in costs in several key areas, especially in healthcare and communal services.
