Doctor visit fee regulations to be modified on July 1

On July 1, some modifications will be made to regulations on the controversial doctors' visit fees introduced on February 15, reports nol.hu. In the future, firefighters and police officers will be exempt from the Ft 300 fee if they are on duty when they receive treatment. This follows a case where firefighters were charged the fee for treatment of injuries sustained during their work.

Other details of the changes are yet to be finalized, but it has been proposed that anyone who has given blood at least sixty times should also be exempt. Patients receiving lung screenings would not have to pay either, if the examination helps prevent an epidemic.

There has been some confusion over the emergency treatment of minors under 18 that needs to be cleared up. While health insurance law specifies that children who visit an emergency room in cases that are not an emergency are to pay a Ft 1,000 "extra fee," the ministry has stated that children do not have to pay a visit fee under any circumstances.

Governing parties SZDSZ and MSZP do not agree on the issue of children paying the doctor visit fee. While the Liberals recommend the extra fee, the Socialists would not collect a visit fee from children at all.

Meanwhile, child health care professionals have requested that the extra fee could be collected from under 18s who use emergency treatment without reason.

Other modifications may include broadening the range of free treatment available to include cancer and diabetes patients.

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