Polish Insurance Association for the first time took part in the Economic Forum in Krynica. In this year’s edition, which took place on 9 – 12 September, PIU has organized a panel discussion Fri “Private health insurance as part of health care in Europe.”
The panel was attended by special guests: Mrs. Agnes Chłoń – Domińczak, a former Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Mr. Zsombor Kovacsy, former President of the Health Insurance Supervisory Authority of Hungary, Mr. Martin Oxley, CEO of the British – Polish Association of Commerce, Mr. Maciej Bogucki, Vice President of Employers’ Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Companies INFARMA, Mr. Paweł Kalbarczyk, Chairman of the Health Insurance and the PIU Director of Health Insurance PZU SA, and Jan Grzegorz Prądzyński, President of the Polish Insurance Association.
The panel was moderated by Mr. Stanislaw Borkowski, Board Member of Allianz Poland SA.
Mrs. Agnes Chłoń – Domińczak outlined the government’s role in the healthcare system in Poland and the opportunity to participate in the private health insurance. She emphasized the need for structural reforms in health care. She recalled that in Poland the share of public expenditure is lower than the average in OECD countries, which is 73 percent. And in our country – 70.8 percent. She emphasized that the potential of private health insurance can improve the efficiency of health care spending.
The characteristics of the Hungarian health care system based on mandatory insurance state was presented by Mr. Zsombor Kovacsy. He stated that the system is dominated by the Hungarian public service, but there are several areas of participation of private health care based on healt insurance and health care accounts.
Mr. Martin Oxley introduced the system solutions for health insurance in the UK, indicating the role of the social security system and the private part of the medical market.
By contrast, Mr. Maciej Bogucki indicated the need for closer cooperation of the insurance, medical and pharmaceutical industries as natural partners serving the same customer.
Paweł Kalbarczyk focused on the concept of private health funds as a solution to financial problems of the health care system in Poland. It is a legislative proposal of the Polish Insurance Association. In discussing the proposal to the PIU, he pointed to the problems of the health care system in Poland: its low efficiency, lack of coordination of health care, lack of alternative payers and lack of alternative sources of funding.
As an antidote to these problems, on behalf of the PIU, he presented a proposal based on the principles of competitiveness and solidarity. It assumes the possibility to choose between staying in the public system of a single payer, or in many Private Health Funds (PFZ).
The proposed reform would raise standards of health care and health security through better access and higher quality, as well as long-term health management tools (programmes, examinations, promotion of healthy lifestyles).
The panel organized by the PIU met with great interest of the guests of the Economic Forum, who despite the fact that this was the last part of this event, filled the room where the discussion on health insurance took place about.
Account of the panel is also to be found on the official website of the Economic Forum on Onet.pl:
http://biznes.onet.pl/prywatne-ubezpieczenia-na-ratunek-sluzbie–zdrowia, 18493,3034818,3028364,30,1, news-detail
Polish Insurance Association is already preparing for next year’s edition of the Economic Forum.
