Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1991, published 78th ILC session (1991)

Part II (Medical Care) Articles 13(c) and 17 of the Convention. The Committee takes note of the information supplied by the Government in its report concerning sharing by beneficiaries in the cost of medical care. It also notes the information communicated by the Government to the Council of Europe on the application of the European Code of Social Security as amended by the Protocol. In the context of this report, the Government provided the list of vital drugs that are refundable pursuant to section 2.5 of the National Insurance Act, pointing out that the provisions of section 2.5 are on no account exhaustive. It mentions a number of drugs, products, articles and accessories which may be refunded pursuant to section 2, subsection 13, of the Act. The Government also refers to the provisions of section 5.8 of the Act which enable numerous medical appliances to be provided free of charge, and to the responsibility of municipalities in this area.

The Committee recalls that the above-mentioned provisions of the Convention prescribe that medical care must also include the provision, on medical prescription, of the necessary pharmaceutical supplies, and that where beneficiaries are required to share in the cost of such supplies, they shall not bear the entire cost. The Committee therefore asks the Government to indicate whether, and by virtue of which provisions of the National Insurance Act or any other legislation, the drugs mentioned in the second column of item No. 19 of the list provided by the Government (antibiotics, sulphamides, etc.) are also reimbursable in the event of acute sickness. Furthermore, it requests the Government to indicate whether and in what manner anti-parasite drugs are reimbursable. Lastly, the Government is asked to indicate whether the provisions mentioned in its report which exempt beneficiaries whose share exceeds a prescribed amount from all participation in the cost of medical care also apply to drugs which do not appear in the list when they are considered to be essential.