"YES" FROM HIO FOR COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGISTS IN GESY - A LAW PROPOSAL INCLUDES THEM IN THE CATEGORY OF 'OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS' - Filenews 13/3 by Marilena Panayi
The inclusion of counselling psychologists in the General Health System should be taken for granted after the positive position of the Health Insurance Organization at yesterday's meeting of the parliamentary committee on Health. The only pending issue at the moment, as mentioned, is the estimates of the Ministry of Finance for next year, since, as explained by the Organization, the budget of the GHS is affected by the specific provisions.
The parliamentary committee on Health was discussing a proposal for a law, which amends the GHS law and includes the specialty of counselling psychologists in the category of "other health professionals".
On the part of the HIO, it was pointed out that, possibly, the legislation does not need to be amended, since a law allows the Minister of Health to add new services to the GHS through a decree.
Nevertheless, the MPs decided to forward the bill to the Plenary as normal, in order to ensure that any financial forecasts will not lead to a postponement of the inclusion of counselling psychologists in the GHS.
However – and as mentioned yesterday – meetings have already been held between the HIO and bodies representing professionals in the sector, while the basic framework of cooperation has also been formed.
Psychologists asked for several diagnoses to be included in the GHS service package, so that more citizens can be served, with the HIO referring, for the time being, to a small number of diagnoses.
