Europe > Southern Europe > Greece > Health-sector protest in Athens against suspensions and layoffs

Greece: Health-sector protest in Athens against suspensions and layoffs

2013/12/16

The proposed transformation of Greece's major national-run healthcare insurer from a primary medical provider into a wholesale buyer of healthcare services -- along with layoffs of about 2,300 physicians -- marks the new austerity-generated standoff in the country.

Under pressure by institutional lenders, the government said it wants to reduce public sector spending and waste, but physicians argue that across-the-board austerity is undermining their ability to treat patients.

According to the government's draft legislation, EOPPY -- established in 2012 by merging various national-controlled insurance funds -- will purchase healthcare services from both the public and private sector.

EOPYY will as well eliminate its preventative, clinical and pharmaceutical operations, and will merge existing units with clinics and hospitals functioning under Greece's national hospital system.

At present, physicians for the provider still have the right to operate their own private offices and treat EOPYY-referred patients. Should the new law pass, however, they will be forced to choose appointment to any national facility they are assigned to or remain with only with their private practice without receiving an EOPYY pay check.

If physicians choose the latter, they may bill a maximum of 200 EOPYY-contracted patients per month at 10 euros per visit.

"The measure involving [personnel] mobility is a tool that the government has in order to make changes, one that has by presently been used in various sectors of public servants. I truly believe that our doctors do not want to tell the Greek people that they want their exclusion from a measure that applies to all citizens working in the public sector," said Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis.

By contrast, Athens Medical Association President Giorgos Patoulis warned against a "complete collapse of primary healthcare [and the] scientific death" of thousands of specialist physicians.

If EOPPY doctors earn EU-level salaries again they should close their private practices, according to blogger Dimos Chloptsioudis.

"However, the government wants to have doctors with only 700 euros a month ... As such, doctors should probably understand that only the left wants health and welfare for the people. Let them realise whom they voted for and supported during the [last] election," Chloptsioudis said.

The union is not saying "no" to layoffs because of any guild-like approach, but because primary healthcare does need the doctors, said Giorgos Eleftheriou, chief of EOPYY physicians' union, on a blog run by the union.

"We recognise the positive [aspects of the government proposition]. However, 2,500 families will be left without work," Eleftheriou said.

According to EOPYY's government-appointed leadership, the national's subsidy to the healthcare insurer for fiscal year 2014 is budgeted at 774 million euros, 43 million euros less than last year. Arrears to third parties total 1.8 billion euros, independent of 1.15 billion euros owed to hospitals.

EOPPY physicians organised an on-going strike that will be extended beyond December 13th, following a decision by the nationwide federation representing the public sector-affiliated physicians.

Some bloggers blamed prominent physicians and pharmacists inclunding their unions for protecting vested interests and behaving as they please at the expense of the patients.

"All of you should know this: Even if Greece becomes totally impoverished, and even if we [the people] starve, these type of scammers ... will feast on our flesh with two sets of dentures," Jey St said.

What should the Greek government do to eliminate healthcare waste and spending, from presently on preserve basic health protection for the citizens? Add your opinion to the comments section.

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