Adjustment to Inflation Targets: How Will the Co-Payment Adjustment Impact?
Co-payment amounts in public health institutions have been reduced. Following this decision, inflation expectations have started to be revised downwards.
The Social Security Institution (SGK) made changes in the health practice communiqué. The co-payment amounts to be applied in doctor and dentist consultations have been determined. Economists have started to lower their inflation estimates for February to below 3%. The co-payment amount had been increased in January in state and university hospitals, causing a upward impact of over 0.5 points on annual inflation. Economists had calculated that this impact would continue in February and March, ultimately reaching 1.5 points annually.
HOW HAVE INFLATION EXPECTATIONS CHANGED? Following the reduction in co-payments, the total impact is expected to be 0.4-0.8 points lower compared to previous estimates. Economists have also started to lower their monthly inflation forecast for February to below 3% from nearly 4%. Economists mentioned that since there will be a process for the refund of paid amounts, the impact seen in January could be downwardly revised, stating that if this revision does not happen quickly, a decrease in monthly health expenses might be observed in February. STEP BACK IN HEALTH CONTRIBUTION Co-payments for medical examinations in training and research hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health, district polyclinics, state and foundation university hospitals have been reduced from 45 lira to 20 lira according to the Social Security Institution’s health practice communiqué published in the Official Gazette dated 23 February.
There was no change in the co-payment amount for medical examinations in second and third tier private healthcare service providers, which was set at 50 lira. The co-payment amount paid by citizens had been increased by 233% in state hospitals and by 543% in education and city hospitals starting from mid-January. With today’s decision, a significant portion of these increases in state and university hospitals has been refunded.
