The medical assistance will become an unachievable luxury for thousands of people who form part of socially deprived groups, the people’s ombudsman said, referring to the rise in the prices of medical services announced by the authorities. According to Mihail Cotorobai, there were enough people who could not afford to go and see a doctor before the prices were raised.

The People’s Ombudsman Office intends to initiate an investigation to establish how justified the prices rises ware and if the price – people’s incomes ratio was taken into account. The ombudsman considers the increases will considerably affect the exercise of the right to health not only of persons who do not have a health policy, but also of those who have it because the tariffs of medical services and examinations that are not covered by the policy were also raised essentially.

The ombudsman does not exclude the necessity of adjusting prices to the latest realities, but warns the authorities that these measures should be taken so that they do not dramatically affect peoples’ right to medical services.

The tariffs of medical-sanitary services were increased by a Government decision. The informative note says the revenues from these services provided for money are designed to cover the associated costs, depending on the real costs. In an expert report, the National Anticorruption Center says the prices of some of the types of medical services were raised excessively and unreasonably and this could limit the people’s access to medical services of a high quality.