Health Minister To Propose Cost Cap For Medical Care

The Minister of Health is set to submit a proposal that would ensure no one pays more than 100,000 ISK per year for most forms of health care.

Vísir reports that Minister of Health Kristján Þór Júlíusson submitted a bill to this effect last Wednesday, and believes it will be passed quickly.

The broad strokes are that the payment system for health clinics, hospitals, independent specialists, examinations, X-rays, MRIs and physical therapists will move from many different categories into just one category, which will have a set limit that a patient will be required to pay. If passed into law, no one will be made to pay more than 100,000 ISK in a single year for these services.

“I am of the opinion that there is very broad multipartisan support for changing the payment system,” Kristján told reporters. “To simplify it, and to make it more fair and understandable than it has been.”

Parliament will reconvene tomorrow, with Kristján’s bill amongst many the government still has yet to vote on.