Unhealthy pillar of reforms

The reform of health care is surprising champion of postcommunism. At least in Central European countries it is a cornerstone for other reforms, it is a pillar for demagogues as well as basic argument for those, who want to change postcommunism to normal society. Look at Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia or Hungary and you find everywhere the same struggle modified by local conditions and local populists.
Main problem is that majority of people still believs in communist propaganda that health care is for free. It was not and it is not.
Czech Republic is now in the middle of battle between proreform central-right government dependent on unstable two-MPs majority with their lefwing-populist opponents. Last week we have seen trial hearing at Constitutional Court where Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and his minister of health care Tomáš Julínek were submitted to speak and respond to political questioning by judges. Reason? Mainly new payments for visit to doctor, which are aprroximatly one euro and thanks to them from the beginning of this year people saved more than one bilion of Czech Crowns to health care system, because visits has dropped by 36 percent.
In Poland there is constant struggle where to find enough money for once-upon-a-time reformed health care service, which is again in debts and desperately looking for workforce, because medical staff is leaving en masse. Governments, left, right or nationalist, are afraid to introduce visit fees because of famous Polish anger and ability to protest against anything being misused by populists.
Hungary have started well with new register of payments, introducing visit fees, improving register of payers and also National Health Care system being in surplus for the first time since reform twelfe years ago. But coalition governement of Prime Minister Gyurcsány faced unprecendent referendum about fees and next step, de facto opening of health insurance system to private sector, seems to be abolished. The only result is renewed register of social payment, where about half million of "black souls" emerged and is now contributing to the system. This was the first goal of reform, how explained Mr. Gyurcsány to me year ago, when he introduced it. Now is Hungary heading to minority government, because liberals, smaller proreform party, after referendum decided not to continue with postcommunist socialists of Mr. Gyurcsány. Well, nice try.
And here we go to Slovakia. Robert Fico in campaing two years ago promised to reverse reformed working system. But his government only abolished some visit fees - and that's it. System is working, Slovakia is heading towards euro, there are no protests, no people are starving because of health care reform. The only problem is that right wing Slovakian reformists has had other ideas where to lead their country - next step after health care and attraction of carmakers was supposed to be reform of education system and overall improvement of Slovakian emerging economy towards more value-added, high-tech and 21st century one. Base for that was health care reform connected with other changes like tax or pension systems.
So far, there are no succesful followers in Central Europe and even Slovakian reformers are taking time for reflection in desperately divided opposition.
Path of Central Europe to succesful future is still open as well as fate of health care systems.