Filenews 22 May 2024 - by Marilena Panayi
The Health Insurance Organization has entered the essential part of the procedures for the integration of the service of sending patients abroad for specialized operations and examinations, which, based on the timetables set about a year ago, must have completed its preparation within the current semester.
Specifically, the HIO is currently very close to finalizing its planning for the implementation of the program, which is currently managed by the Ministry of Health.
Along with the planning, the HIO has also proceeded with the process of drafting the regulations on the basis of which this program will be implemented and it is expected that very soon the Ministry of Health will enter the effort to prepare the Organization since, as has been agreed for some time, the Ministry must help in the smooth transfer of the service of sending patients abroad to the Health Insurance Organization.
The next steps of the Organization, regarding this issue, were determined during an internal meeting held a fortnight ago and it is now only a matter of time before the active involvement of the Ministry of Health in the whole process is requested.
The Ministry's assistance was deemed necessary from the outset, since the entire mechanism, which until today operates under the general manager Christina Giannaki, must be transferred to the HIO, the officers of the Organization must be trained, the necessary medical councils must be set up and all necessary agreements must be concluded with medical centers abroad to which Cypriot patients/beneficiaries of the GHS will be referred.
During the relevant decisions, in the summer of 2023, it was also agreed to transfer officials of the Ministry of Health to the HIO, until the Organization acquires the necessary know-how. So far, it has not been possible to transfer staff from the Ministry of Health to the HIO, however, this may be done in the near future and if and when the preliminary preparation will have been completed.
