On Thursday, the opposition called on all those responsible for a negotiated solution and reiterated that the services must be maintained. Family Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP) meanwhile assured that the mother-child passport examinations will remain free of charge.
The Federal Curia of resident doctors in the Medical Association passed a resolution on Wednesday, according to which the cancellation of the mother-child pass would be pronounced as a health insurance benefit at the end of the year if there was no agreement by then. This would result in a situation without a contract and the doctors would no longer offer the examinations listed in the passport as a health insurance benefit. The services would then have to be paid for privately from March and could only be partially reimbursed by health insurance.
“Sad Result”
SPÖ health spokesman Philip Kucher was stunned by this development on Thursday. “The mother-child pass has massively reduced child and maternal mortality. Instead of finally implementing the promised further development of the mother-child pass, free health care for mothers and children is now at stake. That is the sad result of the standstill in of the turquoise-green health policy”, Kucher criticized in a broadcast. The SPÖ MP called on everyone involved to come to the negotiating table immediately and find a solution.
The NEOS also took the same line. Health spokeswoman Fiona Fiedler also asked everyone involved to find quick solutions. “Ending the mother-child pass is not an option. Medical care must continue to be guaranteed,” emphasized Fiedler, who also called for the mother-child pass to be further developed. She showed “complete understanding” that the medical association was demanding an increase in the fees, which had not been raised since 1994. Nevertheless, the further development of health care “must not fail because of the inability to compromise and the blocking attitudes of individuals,” emphasized Fiedler. “Suddenly demanding an increase of 170 percent is somewhat unrealistic. Both sides, the chamber and the Ministry of Health, have to approach each other with demands that can also be implemented. Threatening gestures don’t help anyone,” said the NEOS MP.
Increased health risk
Volkshilfe director Erich Fenninger warned that the end of the mother-child pass would mean an increased health risk, especially for those affected by poverty. For many, these examinations would not be affordable privately. Instead, Fenninger called for the benefits to be expanded. The mother-child pass needs to be extended up to the age of 18 and oral/dental health needs to be included in the mother-child pass.
Family Minister Susanne Raab (ÖVP), on the other hand, tried to calm down. The examinations of the mother-child passport remain free of charge, she assured on Wednesday evening during the deliberations on the family budget in the budget committee of the parliament. The negotiations are in the final phase, Raab confirmed earlier information from the Ministry of Health.
The family and health spokesman for the Greens, Barbara Neßler and Ralph Schallmeiner, also assured in a broadcast that the mother-child pass was by no means on the verge of extinction. On the contrary – they are in intensive talks, at the end of which there should be improvements in services, emphasized the two Green politicians, who turned against such speculation, which would only lead to unnecessary uncertainty.
Source: Nachrichten
