Czech pediatricians demand better conditions for pneumococcal vaccination reimbursement

2010-02-09

The Chamber of Czech Physicians has called on the Ministry of Health to change the financial conditions related to the vaccination of children against pneumococcal diseases. The vaccination has been covered from the obligatory health insurance scheme for children of a certain age since January 2010. However, the vaccines have to be bought by the doctors upfront from distributors and are later reimbursed. This mechanism has caused a stir among Czech pediatricians, who demand written assurances from the Ministry of Health that the incurred costs will be paid back. The Chamber claims that there are many doctors who do not offer pneumococcal vaccination for their patients due to the fear of not being reimbursed, whilst the Health Ministry claims that a vast majority of pediatricians are participating in the new system.
The Assembly of Pharmacy Owners has announced that it will be offering favourable conditions for doctors ordering pneumococcal vaccines, allowing them to pay after they have received money from the health insurance funds.