One hundred and ninety thousand EUR. That’s how much Health Insurance Fund paid this year for the most expensive treatment of children outside Montenegro. The treatment referred to the transplantation of bone marrow and it was carried out in Acibadem hospital. Director of the Fund, Mr Sead Čirgić, said that the most expensive treatment in Serbia cost €40.850.
From 1 January to 15 October this year, a total of 462 children were sent to treatment outside Montenegro.
In the period between 1 January and 15 October 2020, the most expensive treatment cost €190.000.
“In the same period in 2019, the most expensive treatment cost €400.000 (transplantation of bone marrow in Germany), while the most expensive treatment in Serbia was €58.000”, Mr Čirgić said to CdM.
It is evident that actions for collecting help for the treatment of children are being organized more often, mainly at the initiative of NGOs or their parents who would like to take them abroad for treatment, without submitting a request to the Health Insurance Fund.
Fund has stated several times that such ways of self-organization should be avoided, because referral to treatment outside Montenegro is right stipulated in the healthcare protection.
The Fund has also appealed to humanitarian organizations to state reasons why the ill child has not been referred to treatment at the cost of the Fund.
“Without that important information, they create a distorted picture and incite insecurity, which makes citizens believe that the Fund has no money to ensure treatment, which is not true. One more time, every child who is referred to treatment abroad by the competent council of doctors of the Clinical Center shall exercise this right, at the expense of the mandatory health insurance, regardless of the cost”, Mr Čirgić says.
He explains the procedure.
“The insured person can exercise his/her right to be treated abroad by submitting request to the Fund. Proposal of the Council of doctors for treatment abroad shall be submitted along with the request. Other medical documentation which refers to previous treatment shall be submitted as well”, Mr Čirgić explains.
Insured person, who has received the decision of the Fund or reference for the treatment in healthcare institutions of Serbia, will have all costs covered. Person who accompanies the child up to 15 years of age and person who accompanies child of up to 18 if the child is treated for malignant diseases, will also have food and accommodation costs covered.