PM ponders health fund 'issues'

Astonished by the doubling of civil service healthcare expenses within a few years, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday called for a brainstorming session to look at the real nature of the issue.

The doubling of the civil service's health costs was mostly because subscribers bought a lot of medicine, he noted.

In his capacity as National Health Commission chairman, Abhisit presided over a Government House workshop yesterday to seek suggestions on health policies.

Thailand has three healthcare systems - those for civil servants, those for SSO subscribers, and the universal health scheme covering citizens not under the first two systems.

Each system had issues raised by users, the PM said.

He urged the Social Security Office (SSO) to provide subscribers with the same benefits other healthcare system subscribers enjoy, especially the universal health scheme.

SSO subscribers - mostly registered employees in the labour market - paid taxes which then funded the universal health scheme as well as the SSO, Abhisit pointed out.

The fund's finances were strong enough to add more benefits, the premier said.

He sought policy suggestions on how to provide confidence and legal support to medical practitioners without affecting patients' rights, plus ideas on how to curb health problems caused by alcohol.

He also recognised another important agenda regarding the health of youths - pregnancy out of wedlock and abortion - and called for suggestions on how to tackle these issues.