“The question is simple. Is it entitled to the citizen to have a free choice? Also, is the OSH, the Ministry of Health, entitled to punish the citizen for his choice? ”
A few days ago we had a surprise court ruling by the Administrative Court of Cyprus. A patient appealed to the court demanding that he take the medicines prescribed by his doctor who is outside the GESY via GESY. The patient is the beneficiary of the system, as he compulsorily pays as all of us the contributions of his constantly. The court justified the patient (not the doctor). Since then we have been seeing a frantic attempt to change the law in such a way, so as to overthrow the court ruling! This effort is made by almost all the rulers, the OSH, but also the various patients and guilds that are the so -called social alliance. It’s something incomprehensible to me, since the one who won the trial is a weak. It certainly represents others who are in a similar position to him. So why so much mania, because a man was justified?
Let’s look at the subject in its correct dimension. If I do not fall, every citizen has the right to free choice based on the Constitution. In this case the doctor’s choice. The citizen under the GSEY law is obliged to participate in the system, no one asked him if he wishes. To clarify that for me compulsory participation is correct, as it serves the terms of universality and social solidarity, necessary characteristics in a health system. After participating, he also acquires rights that arise from his participation. These are clearly referred to in the law and nowhere is it mentioned that they are interconnected. So the patient chose to pay the doctor of his choice himself, but his expensive drugs wants to get them from the system he pays. No one should have the right to punish the citizen because he “dared” to see a doctor outside, and to tell him that he has to pay the other services. The decision even states that he is a poor biomass.
The usual and renewed excuses for this study of the law is the change in system philosophy, a possible massive escape of GSEY doctors, the collapse of the system, the inability of the software to control the recipes of private individuals, over -decorating them. None of them stands and does not respond to the truth. There is simply a danger around all this so that power does not lose control, which reaches the limits of authoritarian regimes. In fact, European countries give this right to patients and doctors. These are Greece, but also Estonia from which we “borrowed” our own GESY. Nowhere did the system collapse! As far as two -speed patients are concerned, I don’t think many people today are all at a speed!
The question is simple. Is it entitled to the citizen to have a free choice? Also, is the OSH, the Ministry of Health, entitled to punish the citizen for his choice? This should be thought of by Members when the proposal for amendment is discussed. Especially those who believe in freedom of speech, choice and business.
*Michalis Zouvanis is a doctor outside GESY.
