Under his proposal, the Nemzeti Egészségbiztosítási Alapkezelő, known as NEAK and responsible for managing Hungary’s national health insurance fund, would represent patients’ interests and work in partnership with healthcare providers.
A more active role for NEAK
Friday’s discussions focused on the tasks facing NEAK. These included a programme to reduce waiting lists, the detailed regulations needed to support it, and the agency’s future role and structure.
Hegedűs said a modern health insurance body should involve patient organisations in decision-making. Decisions on whether to adopt new therapies and procedures should also be based on assessments of the medical technologies concerned, he added.
Funding would give greater weight to outcomes
The minister also wants to change how healthcare funding is approached. Under the model he described, greater weight would be given to whether treatment had improved a patient’s health, the quality of the care provided and the value it had created for the patient.
Hegedűs said the redesigned system should play an active part in helping patients receive better, faster and more effective care. Friday’s talks also addressed the detailed regulations that such changes would require.
Source: Index
