At the sitting held on 21 July, the Committee on Health and the Family debated, in principle, the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Health Care and the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Health Insurance, submitted by the Government.

The sitting was attended by Minister of Health Prof. Dr Zoran Stankovic and representatives of the Republic Health Insurance Institute, Serbian Medical Chamber, Serbian Medical Society, Pharmaceutical Chamber, Serbian Chamber of Biochemists and Chamber of Nurses and Medical Technicians.

Minister Stankovic said that the Bill amending and modifying the Law on Health Care should improve the heath care system and the position of the patients, particularly the vulnerable patient categories, as well as harmonise the Law with international acts of the World Health Organisation and International Labour Organisation. The most important modifications and amendments relate to the introduction of a screening programme for the early detection of illnesses, introduction of electronic cards instead of the existing health insurance cards, reducing the waiting time for specialisation in certain fields of medicine and introduction of internal control in health care institutions. The Bill amending and modifying the Law on Health Insurance expands health insurance rights such as the right to dental health care, right to sex reassignment for medical reasons, right to protection for victims of violence and trafficking in human beings, as well as the right to health insurance for those afflicted by rare conditions, said Minister Stankovic.

A debate on the Bills ensued in the continuation. Some Committee members gave a positive evaluation of the presented amendments and modifications to the laws, while there were also objections regarding the lack of public debate and essential changes to the laws, as well as potential dangers to the security of some data which might arise from the introduction of electronic cards.

By a majority of votes, the Committee members adopted the Bills in principle. Dr Simo Vukovic, Committee Deputy Chairman, was appointed rapporteur at the Committee sitting.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Dr Paja Momcilov.