In line with agreements reached with pharmaceutical companies, the Health Ministry will save TL 2.5 billion. The ministry also plans to make amendments to its policies on patient contributions. Information acquired from ministry officials indicates that the contribution rate paid by patients at university, private and foundation hospitals will be raised to between 60 and 70 percent of health care costs, from its current level of 30 percent.
The budget of the Social Security Institution (SGK) is expected to be TL 118.7 billion in 2010, while its revenues are estimated to be only around TL 86.9 billion. The deficit will be about TL 31.8 billion and has been attributed to the decline in employment, prevalence of unregistered employment and rise in health expenses. The current deficit will not prevent Turkey from acting according to its social state principles, Labor and Social Security Minister Ömer Dinçer noted, adding that measures will be taken to provide people with faster, fairer and cheaper services.
Ministry officials said that talks with pharmaceutical companies had generally positive outcomes, and state expenditures on medicine are expected to be reduced from TL 17.1 billion to TL 14.6 billion next year. Talks with health sector actors will continue, the sources said.
