Chair of the National Health Insurance House (CNAS) Valeria Herdea told AGERPRES on Thursday that Romania's National Cancer Plan includes free healthcare services for uninsured patients that become available on July1 and that will be reimbursed from the national budget.
"We have the National Cancer Plan that includes healthcare services for the uninsured, which is a big fact compared with other countries. By introducing this segment of the population, the uninsured, into this national cancer plan, it means that they have access to prevention services - that means early detection - to diagnostic services and they can also access the treatment plan. So, it's a big step forward. The money comes from the national budget, which makes the difference. There is a lot going into the National Cancer Programme right now, starting July 1. Therefore, uninsured people, from July 1, will have access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment services under the National Cancer Plan, all covered from the national budget. Such services will be reimbursed from the national budget depending on how many people will show up and how many people test positive for cancer. Practically, these uninsured patients will also benefit from physicals," said Herdea.
According to the CNAS chair, any uninsured person who goes to a family doctor is examined and if after the examination it is established that there might be a suspicion of neoplastic disease, cancer, the patient will be urged to undergo investigations, tests, after which he or she will be sent to a specialist oncologist for specialist investigations for a diagnosis.
"It will be the same path as for other patients, because it is a constitutional right in such a disease. The fact that they embrace that is a big deal from my point of view. (...) Just think about it, we have colon cancers, oesophageal cancers, lung cancers, breast cancer, etc., they have a very high mortality rate, so such a measure is very welcome. The National Cancer Plan is one of the most important goals that I, personally, defend during my tenure. I tell you why, because it is not normal for so many people to die and then such a plan, which is the fruit of the work of many people, deserves to be implemented and worth supporting. We had 204,722 cancer patients as of December 31, 2023, including 2,700 minor patients."
Herdea added that this allocation for uninsured patients is provided for only under the National Cancer Plan and not for all types of medical services.