MoH: Funding of the new hospitalization program for elderly citizens is available

Despite financial difficulties afflicting the national economy and continuing political disagreement over the national budget, which has not been approved since 11 years (http://lkdg.org/ar/node/15382), the health ministry decided to launch yesterday the draft law on full hospitalization for citizens over 64 years of age. The program if approved will raise the financial coverage of hospitalization services from 85% to 100% at a cost of nearly LBP 17 billion (i.e: $11.3 million).For his part, the finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil expressed concern that the new free health bill could rise the demand for hospitalization and subsequently rise the weight of covering these additional costs on public finance. Khalil refused to make further comments awaiting the actual implementation of the above scheme. For his part, the President of the Syndicate of Owners of Private Hospitals, Suleiman Harun, described the health minister’s plan as a bold step that requires concerted efforts to make it a success, but reminded the government to first settle its debts to hospitals that have accrued since 2000. 

In his response, health minister, Wael Abu Fa3ur admitted the concerns of the Minister of Finance, while pointing out to clear admission criteria that were developed to distinguish between patients who need to be admitted to hospital and those who don’t, and in order to regulate the transfer of patients from the Social Security Fund to the new scheme. On funds, Abu Fa3ur disclosed that theses will be secured from the annual budgetary allocations of his ministry, which are yearly increased in order to keep up with additional needs and population growth. (Al Akhbar, As Safir, An Nahar, Al Diyar, July 20, 2016)