The Committee completed a joint debate in principle on all the bills which were presented by State Secretary at the Ministry of Health Dr Berislav Vekic. The reason for the new law on medical insurance is to improve the existing system and provide harmonization with other regulations concerning the organization and application of compulsory medical insurance, medicines and medical aids, protection against infection, sports, administrative procedures, inspections and personal data protection. The new law fully regulates the insurance system which covers both compulsory and voluntary medical insurance, which was not the case before. The compulsory medical insurance has been expanded to include out-of-pocket payments for medical services, medicines, rehabilitation and medical aids, procedures for the inspection of contracts as concerns the right to healthcare, centralized public procurement, arbitration, appointment and termination of Republic Health Insurance Fund administrative officers have been improved, and the Ministry’s normative duties have been expanded.

The Bill on Healthcare was drafted in response to the need to adjust the healthcare system to the newly conducted reforms. Among other things it delineates the social care for public health at the national, provincial, local self-government, individual and employer levels and separates healthcare at the provincial and local self-government levels.

The Bill on Items of General Use will eliminate the flaws of the existing Law on Health Safety of Items of General Use and largely adjust the field to EU legislation. The new law will replace certain regulations in the field institutionally obsolete from the aspect of their efficient application and new scientific breakthroughs.

The Law on Substances Used in the Illegal Production of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances needs to be adjusted to the EU regulations governing the field of so-called drug precursors. The amendments largely harmonize the Law with EU standards to ensure the functioning of market economy and EU fundamental freedom - free movement of goods. The Bill is the result of the state’s harmonization with ratified international agreements, most of all the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

Following a debate the Committee members accepted the bills in principle.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Dr Darko Laketic and attended by the following Committee members and deputy members: Dr Danica Bukvic, Dr Muamer Bacevac, Radoslav Jovic, Prim. Dr Milovan Krivokapic, Dr Dragana Barisic, Dr Svetlana Nikolic Pavlovic, Dr Desanka Repac, Prof. Dr Milan Knezevic, Dr Ljubica Mrdakovic Todorovic and Dr Danijela Stojadinovic.